


I Will Never, Love Another, Like You

by ZWorld



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blowjobs, Christmas, Confessions, Domestic, Fluff, Intercrural Sex, Levi's Birthday, M/M, Middle Aged Men, Mutual Pining, Pining, Silver Fox Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Single Parent Eren Yeager, Single Parent Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Single Parents, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:48:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28487832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZWorld/pseuds/ZWorld
Summary: “So, did you ask him?” Ymir asked, fork in the air and pointing straight at him.“Ask who what?” Eren questioned, feigning naivety.“Oh, my, god. Dad, come on!” Ymir whined, dropping her fork loudly against the wood. “Are you kidding me!?”Eren swallowed, his eyes widening at her sudden outburst. “Ymir, I told you-”“Grow a pair, Dad!” she shouted. Eren gasped, beyond shocked at his daughter’s forwardness.“Ymir-”“No seriously, please. For the love of God! I’m so sick of watching you act like a love sick puppy. Please spare me and Nan. Please! Ask him out already! Come on!”
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 13
Kudos: 235
Collections: 18+ Ereri Discord Server Winter Exchange 2020





	I Will Never, Love Another, Like You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [across_galaxies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/across_galaxies/gifts).



> This fic was written just for Finn! Thank you for all the amazing work you’ve done for the wonderful Ereri/Riren Discord Gift Exchange Event! I can’t thank you and the other mods for all the hard work you've all done! 
> 
> I hope this fic sees you in good taste. I really enjoyed writing it and exploring the universe. If I had all year, I would’ve written you endless of chapters about Eren and Ymir's adventures, but alas, I hope you can settle for this instead. Perhaps in the future? You and Andy have inspired me so much!
> 
> I apologise in advance for any awkwardness - I’m not very good at confessions and having to write them as middle aged was such a challenge! I hope you find the reasonings behind their actions fitting, as with the event that follows it! 
> 
> Thank you [llamacornhufflepuff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/llamacornhufflepuff) for beta'ing for me!! You're an absolute gem!

The crackling, warm fire was enticing to watch. The way flames danced within the confines of the fireplace, burning the wood and allowing heat to burst from it. Shuffling his sock covered feet beneath him further, the man leaned in closer, the sight relaxing him to the point of feeling mushy and hazy eyed. The light danced off his face along with the dark surrounding walls and furniture, intensified by the large Christmas tree flickering yellow lights beside the fireplace. _‘Holly Jolly Christmas’_ played quietly in the background along with the murmurs of the two most important women in his life. 

Smiling to himself at the soothing scene, Eren lifted a mug of peppermint tea, taking a tentative sip and finding the liquid far too warm to enjoy just yet. Sighing in impatience he rested the mug back on the arm rest, eyes once more on the moving flames. 

It’d been such a tough week for Eren. It always was when December rolled by. It meant grueling long hours and an increase of children in need. Not that he minded one bit, but it did sometimes become taxing to his mental and physical health. Thus, he could always count on coming back to his parent’s home; filled with Christmas decorations, mixed spice scented candles, quiet music and cosy warmth.

Then there was the glorious food. Even after all the years fending for himself and his daughter, Ymir, nothing could ever be better than the way his mother, Carla, made a beef stew, or sweet, delicious honey-glazed ham. Added bonus was her excellent skills in perfectly steeping his all time favourite peppermint tea. A drink that always soothed him right to his core, easing all of his worries and the constant heartache he had for someone special. It was nice to escape, even if it only meant on weekends. 

Sighing to himself once more, he tried another sip, this time happy to note it wouldn’t scald his tongue.

“What do you think, Nan?” 

“It’s a marvelous idea. It’s about time he moves things forward.”

“What about you, Dad? Think you’d be keen to finally confess?”

Eren hummed in agreement, not really paying attention as he swirled the tea in his mouth. 

“Would you _really_ Dad?”

Swallowing and flicking his eyes lazily to the two sitting on the couch across from him, Eren asked for clarification, “I would do what?” 

The two women pursed their lips, Carla looking more like she was trying to keep in laughter compared to the annoyance written all over Ymir’s face. 

“Ask _Levi_ out on a date on Christmas. It’s his birthday, remember?” 

_‘Oh god,’_ Eren thought, his mind hammering with sudden stress at the mention of a man named Levi. _‘Why are they still going on about this? It’s been two hours for God’s sake!’_

Eren sat up abruptly, shaking his head in disagreement. “Of-of course not,” he protested. “Why would I do such a thing?” 

Ymir lifted her hand in frustration, her bright blonde eyebrows raising past short bangs and her mouth pulled into a grimace. “Because you’ve been going on coffee dates for _months_ now and your crush is so obvious, duh.”

“It’s tea,” Eren corrected rather quickly before waving a hand in front of his face. “That’s besides the point. Levi and I don’t have _dates_ . We simply meet up as _friends_.”

Ymir groaned deeply at that. “Cut the crap, Dad. I’ve seen you ogling way too much during my shifts to believe you for a second.” 

“Well, I’m frankly quite happy just being friends.”

Ymir rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as she slumped deeper into the couch. “Why are you so stubborn? Just admit it already.”

Carla chuckled from beside her granddaughter, a hand speckled with age spots coming to hook a loose grey strand of hair behind her ear. “Ymir has a point, honey. You’ve been skirting around this for far too long. You’re certainly not going to get any younger.” 

“Ma,” Eren whined, face contorting in an almost childish way. “Not you too.”

“Might I add, Ymir will definitely want to move out soon enough. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a lover to sooth the loneliness?” 

_‘She has a point,’_ he debated for a mere second. _‘Who are you kidding, Eren? It’s been seventeen fucking years since your last date. Are you nuts?’_

“It’s been too long. I-”

“All you need is a pluck of courage,” Carla reassured, a grin on her face. “Courage I know you have deep down in there.”

“I highly doubt Levi feels the same way,” Eren argued, going in for a sip of his peppermint tea. He could’ve sworn he heard Ymir sighing quietly, followed by another large eye roll. 

“No harm in trying.” 

“And, we both know what Levi is like. If he thought it was a waste of time, you two wouldn’t be having these-” Ymir lifted her hand, two fingers moving in quotation marks, “tea dates every few weeks,” Ymir added. “It’ll make Mikasa happy too. She’s worried about leaving Levi alone this year for Christmas.” 

“Well, I wouldn’t want to leave you on Christmas either. You’re far more impor-” Eren started.

Ymir rolled her eyes again, groaning thickly. “Enough, Dad. All we ever do is come over to Nan and Pop’s and eat our body weight in food. Why not do something _romantic_ for once? Like, I don’t know. Go on a day-long date with Levi? Go see the park with all the lights and make his birthday an unforgettable one. Mikasa says she can’t ever make it exciting enough for him anymore.”

“Ymir, enough.” 

“But-”

“I’ll _think_ about, okay?”

“Promise me you will? Please?” Ymir said, thin blonde eyebrows drawn in a pleading expression. “Even if as friends. Mikasa doesn’t want Levi to be alone this year while she’s at Jean’s.” 

“Alright, alright,” Eren replied, hand running through his hair. “I promise.” 

“Good,” Ymir settled. 

“With that all sorted, who’s hungry for dessert? I’ve made a trifle that isn’t spiked,” Carla said, looking hopeful between Ymir and Eren. 

“What about Pops?” Ymir asked. All three twisted to look at old man Grisha on his trophy armchair, snoring away in the darkest part of the living room. Eren had to hold back a snort from seeing his father like that. It was certainly happening a lot more often nowadays, what with him reaching his eighties in just another two years.

Carla laughed quietly, righting herself. “We’ll save him some for later. Come, come.”

Ymir sprung to her feet, following a slow shuffling Carla out of the living room. Grumbling, Eren got up too, bringing along his peppermint tea. The hallway and foyer past the doorway of the living room was dark and a little chilly. The air seeping in from the front door and damp snow jackets hanging on the hooks made it a bit nippier than the warm room they had been sitting in. 

Fairy lights lined the dark hallway, leading down to the guest bedroom, study, garage and a few other empty rooms. Eyeing up the lightened dining room and the two ladies in the kitchen beyond that from across him, Eren decided to forego the light and took a few steps down the hallway. His chest clenched with nostalgia and love, like it always did whenever he attempted a few steps down. 

The fairy lights didn’t do a good job at lighting it well enough, but both sides of the wide hallway were littered with framed photographs. From black and white pictures of his parents, to discoloured, sepia toned of himself and finally, modern ones of Ymir. 

Whenever he was brave enough - or in the mood for a few joyous tears in his eyes - he’d walk down here, always stopping at the very first picture they ever took of Ymir and himself. Swaddled in a light pink blanket, in the arms of a young, twenty year old Eren with his eyes still bright, youthful, hair messy and like a bird’s nest. His smile was both large and uncertain, still naive for what life was going to throw at him next.

He’d just been a kid back then; studying at college with only a year and half left. His next chapter was vaguely planned out with only a few scriptions and hazy potential jobs as a social worker. He was going to graduate, flat with a few classmates, get a job he was proud of, maybe meet a guy or two, fall in love, and what have you. The most idealistic, romanticised future he always believed for himself. He wasn’t ready for what _actually_ came next. A plot twist in his imaginary future that included a baby he had nothing to do with except for knowing its mother. Far too young and too soon. He was merely a kid who hadn’t asked for a child yet. Eren’s dream was to help them, to become a social worker who worked with ones in need, not raise his own.

But life had a funny way of giving people things they never knew they needed. Religious people would say it was a way of God guiding them on the most prosperous path. Eren’s older colleagues certainly said that all the time. Unlike them, Eren didn’t have a religious bone in his body. At first, he deduced it to drawing the short end of the stick and fate throwing him hard and very early, hands on experience. Although, after a year of taking care of Ymir, he no longer thought it was the short end, rather the greatest stick he had ever picked up. 

It’d been in the midst of summer that year he turned twenty. He was two weeks away from starting his third year of college and wasting his time working as a receptionist at the local swimming pools. It was boring, but at least he worked in air conditioned surroundings and were earning enough bucks to buy decent food while away at college. But the bubble of happy quietness burst as his Nokia phone chimed. And again. And then once more. And then it started to ring. Curiously, he looked at what all the fuss was about, noticing a friend from college was calling him. 

“Hello?” he greeted. 

“Oh thank god. Eren! Eren!” the voice shouted from the speaker, sounding beyond distressed. 

“Historia?” Eren asked, voice laced with worry as he sat up from the wooden chair. “What’s wrong?” 

“Oh. Fuck. Fuck. Shit. Fuck. Your-your dad’s a doctor, right?” 

“Yeah, yeah. He is. What’s going on?”

“I need help. Oh god,” she shrieked, the phone dropping from her hands, along with another plastic item. 

“Historia! Historia! Can you hear me?” With his heart beating in his chest, Eren stood up rather quickly, biting his bottom lip as he waited for the phone to be picked up again. 

“Sorry, sorry,” she replied hurriedly. “I’m shaking so bad right now. I-I-” she started to sob. “Eren I think-I think,” she sobbed again, curses seeping from her mouth. “I think I’m _pregnant._ ” 

“Your what?” Eren answered incredulously, face contorting in confusion. 

_How?_

How on earth could that be possible? 

Since freshman year, Eren had known Historia was a lesbian. Hell, that’s how they initially met; at the college’s word by mouth secret queer club in their very first week. It was small, considering it was 1998 and people back then weren’t very open about those kinds of things. But there they were, doe eyed and unsure of themselves, scared beyond all as older members introduced themselves and handed out advice neither of them had ever asked for. It was a month later that Historia met a tall, tanned and freckled young woman named Ymir. She was a junior and only joined club parties whenever utterly bored. Luckily for her, the one time she crawled out of her dorm room she so happened to meet Historia. 

Eren spent the remaining years somewhat looking at them with jealousy. Well, happiness first, and then jealousy. The irony that the one girl with a hidden secret and who came from the most religious family finding the love of her life - a woman - was quite funny. Eren supposed it was fate’s way of handing her a gold medal star for having been kept in the closet and getting hurt emotionally by her parents for so long. All of which Eren was very grateful for. Historia did deserve a piece of happiness, even if it meant only the times in which she was at college, and living in the halls. 

Which was why Eren’s head spun in circles at the thought. How on earth could Historia be _pregnant?_ That very last day of college before summer he’d seen Ymir and Historia hand-in-hand, waving him goodbye as he drove off back home. 

“How?” he asked. Swallowing thickly, he dared to ask the only way this could have happened, “Did… Did you cheat on Ymir?” 

“Of course not!” she hissed. “Ymir and I were taking a break. She-she told me to make sure it’s what I wanted. Before I told my family and...”

“And you ran with it and fucked the first guy you saw?” 

“Eren!” she screeched. “It’s not like that. He’s a childhood friend. He offered because it wouldn’t mean anything to either of us. We were safe. I swear we were.” 

_‘Not safe enough,’_ Eren thought bitterly.

Eren wanted to groan at the mess he was forced into. He ran a sweaty palm through his messy brown hair, feeling a headache coming on. “Have you told him?” 

“I can’t. His parents and mine. Oh fuck, Eren. They’re under the impression we’re _saving_ ourselves.” 

“Jesus,” Eren murmured, a very deep royal mess he certainly was being forced into. “Why do you want to see my dad then?” 

“To make sure. My parents can’t find out about this, _please._ If-if he can help in any way without anyone else knowing, I’d be ever grateful.”

Sighing, he said he’d text her through Grisha’s number. 

Eren wasn’t expecting much. In an ideal situation, he was hoping for an abortion. But reality slammed him in the face when Historia said she’d _never_ be able to do that without immense guilt. The only other option was adoption. That’s where Carla had come in. She saw Historia desperately needed help and with always wanting a daughter, she saw fit to help wherever she could. She tried her best to research into newborn adoptions and all sorts of options. Things were looking up, they even had a few families interested. Things were moving full-steam ahead and for that, Eren was relieved for. 

As the months crawled by, Eren tried not to get as invested as Carla had, despite Historia constantly asking him to drive her and her supportive girlfriend Ymir to his parent’s house. He dared to take the slightest bit of interest in his mother’s and Historia’s ramblings and ideas. One day when he mistakenly had, he almost had a heart attack when Historia slipped out that _Eren_ could easily take full custody. If he lied about being the baby’s father, that is. Should he win full custody, then Carla could raise the baby if she so wished, especially as her love for the unborn child grew stronger each day. 

_‘Never in my life,’_ Eren had thought back then. The idea of having sex with a woman made him ill. He was gay through and through and everyone of his family and friends would _know_ something was up if he had suddenly announced he was a father by blood. It’d be so unlike him, there was no way they could sell that idea.

However, the seed was planted nonetheless. 

Some weekends when he trudged on home for a proper cooked meal, Carla would sit at the dining room table, wistfully murmuring on about how lovely it’d be to have a little one crawling around the place. She loved babies oh-so-much. She’d talk about what a good deed Eren would be doing. It’d mean Historia would get to know the baby too, without having to say goodbye forever. 

But, Eren didn’t want to raise a baby. Not yet. Maybe not ever, right? 

The more he thought about it, the faster the idea blossomed. There he was studying to become a children’s social worker so he could help kids who are in the system, and yet he was willingly allowing one singular little soul to go into that very system he disliked so much. 

At first the idea made him nauseous. He couldn’t be a _dad._ Not at twenty. He didn’t have a clue about babies. About raising a child and all the hardships that came with it. But then he thought about how he was helping someone so helpless and small. Giving them the chance at the best life possible. A life with adults who would love them dearly and raise them so well. He couldn’t think of any better upbringing. 

It’d been easy to file the custody reports. A simple signature of his name on the birth certificate once the baby is born was all that was needed. Followed up by an uncle who was a lawyer who easily helped the court case, allowing Eren to win within a blink of an eye. 

And just like that, in one chaotic, fleeting moment, there was a scream and cry - from a baby and adults alike. The tiniest, reddest little soul with head covered in the darkest of hair. Wrinkly and covered in white goo. So tiny and soft, a hand barely able to wrap around his finger. She felt like she was made out of a glass and Eren was so scared and worried he’d made the wrong decision. 

“And? Have you two decided on sweetheart’s little name?” the nurse asked. 

Eren and Historia looked at one another then, the former smiling gently, watching as Historia heaved out big breaths, barely nodding. 

“Ymir,” she whispered, hand coming up to run against her sweaty forehead, the older holding her girlfriend’s hand at a death grip. “Ymir Yeager.” 

“Lovely,” the nurse replied joyfully. “Would you like to hold her? Skin to skin is important.” 

Historia simply shook her head, closing her eyes. Eren watched as her lips quivered, a pang in his heart so violent that he almost wanted to beg her to agree. But, rules were rules and Historia had demanded she not to - in case she changed her mind and got attached. 

Instead, the swaddled little baby was handed to a seated Eren, his heart hurting now for entirely different reasons. Carla was there within an instant, cooing at baby Ymir as Eren held her awkwardly. It took him a while to get used to it, but once he got the technique sorted, he sat back and relaxed, watching the smallest of faces sleeping so soundlessly. Time ticked away slowly as he continued to watch, reality sinking in that this baby was his. Not by blood, but by choice and by law. And he was going to make Historia proud. He was going to raise Ymir alongside his parents and he was going to make sure she knew of her kindhearted maternal mother. And she was going to become someone just as strong and kind. 

As all things though, nothing was ever as easy as they made it out to be. With raising a baby and needing to do his last year of college came with many challenges. Of which meant he moved back home. He reduced his studying hours to part time and picked up another job alongside it, so he had enough to support himself and Ymir. 

The first year was the hardest. He almost wanted to call it quits and beg his mother to take her. He wasn’t made to be a father. Not yet. Maybe not ever. She cried too much, she was too small, she was everything he had no idea how to deal with. However, the second year was a little less grueling and gave him a silver lining. Graduating a year after all his peers and friends, he found himself a good entry position job that allowed him a good income and more time spent with Ymir. It wasn’t in the field he had wanted, but it was a social work job nonetheless. 

Carla was there every step of the way, taking care of Ymir when Eren couldn’t. The young man had so much to learn and made so many mistakes along the way. Yet, Carla was gentle and forgiving, supportive and always teaching him; showing Eren what he could do better. 

As time went on, it became easier. Not just for the sake of getting used to everything, but for the mere fact that Eren had fallen in undying love. He knew of unconditional love. Had felt it for his family and his beloved late childhood cat, Titan. Yet, he never knew how strong and empowering it was to love a little toddler who was growing each day and learning to coo and mumble words. Watching her get the hang of picking up a spoon and feeding herself. Learning what pencils did as she scratched on her Nan’s walls. How much pride he’d feel in teaching her how to walk, to ride a bike. How he’d feel adoration in learning all of her most favourite things, from bright neon pink, to dinosaurs, to sweet, deep red apples, and her love for sand and building sandcastles. And, how much his heart panged when she would have a bad nightmare, waking him up at ungodly hours once he found a small two bedroom home to rent. Or the numerous times she’d fall off her bike, training wheels long gone, and come running home with tears streaming down her face and bloodied knees and palms. 

How much bittersweet pride he’d feel the first day he helped her get dressed in a school uniform, tying her bright blonde shoulder length hair into a simple ponytail and helping her into tiny black velcro shoes. 

Of course he snapped a picture with his trusty point n shoot camera, making a mental note to email it to his parents and Historia, who was now living overseas in Europe and married to her beloved Ymir.

 _‘First day of school!’_ he’d write as the title. 

Ymir was a quiet little girl. Unnerving to some, but for most, easy to get along with due to the fact she rarely spoke. She progressed wonderfully, all the teachers never having anything ill to say. Perhaps the odd one would mention she needed to socialise more, as they often found her alone in the classroom during lunchtimes, colouring in pages of dinosaurs and large, looming forests. 

It was fine though. She was just shy and liked to be alone while at school. She was chirper enough at home and spoke rather boisterously to her Nan and Pops, so all was well. 

That story changed a little when she graduated elementary and started at the school further down the road - a conjoined middle and high school. 

Kids were cruel, Eren knew. He didn’t have the best track record at that same school either. He used to be such an angry, high strung kid; getting into fights and giving his teachers and peers such grief. It almost seemed uncanny that a month into middle school he received a call from the school, saying he needed to pick up Ymir. 

It was just past lunchtime so luckily Eren could make a quick exit at work, speeding his way to the school and perhaps running a red light. His steps were hurried as he made it through the bustling halls, tweens and teenagers filling the space. His leather shoes clacked against the vinyl until he found the principal’s office, a place he’d surely never forget considering how many hours he’d spent there as a teenager himself. Fortunately, he was met with new faces, none of whom recognised him in the slightest. However, as soon as an inkling of relief could begin to ease him, heartache managed to claw him sharply as he spotted eleven year old Ymir sitting on a plastic chair, legs dangling, her school dress covered in purple stains, her hair a mess, and sniffling harshly as she kept her face lowered. 

“Ymir,” Eren murmured, his heart breaking at the sight of his little girl in tears. He went down on his knees, arms coming up to rest on her shoulders. “What happened, Ymir?” he asked, voice quiet, his body in shock. He was met with sniffles and tears running down her red cheeks before hearing a man clear his throat from behind

Twisting around, Eren was met with two men he barely looked at when entering. One who was blonde and seated, and another who stood by the desk. He was pale as ever, dark haired and while he was short, the deep frown he wore and the way he held himself made Eren aware instantly that this man meant business. It had been so domineering and coupled with the most handsome face Eren had seen up to date. He was so undoubtedly gorgeous, it almost blew Eren’s breath away. He couldn’t help but gape, unsure of what to even say as his heart skipped a beat. Numbly, Eren stood and greeted them quietly. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr Yeager,” the blonde greeted in return. “In an unfortunate circumstance, might I add.” The man pulled a face of pity before continuing. “I’m sorry to say, Mr Ackerman here caught Ymir getting bullied in the cafeteria a wee while ago.” 

“Damn brats,” the smooth, baritone voiced man cursed under his breath, arms crossed over his chest as he shook his head. “The ringleader ripped the juice box from Ymir’s hands and sprayed it over her dress.”

_‘Oh no.’_

Oh his poor little girl. _Bullied._ How dare those little twerps hurt his Ymir. She was so little and always on her own, how on earth could they do such a thing? She was so helpless, why the hell didn’t they just leave her alone? It all seemed so unfair, why did it have to be Ymir to have suffered like this? The thoughts continued to boil, his anger growing by the second. He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth at the hurt those stupid brats had caused his little girl. The anger on his face must’ve been clear as day because the seated man quickly continued on. 

“Rest assured, Mr Yeager, we’ve called their parents and are being dealt with,” the blonde one explained. “We tried to get Ymir to calm down, although she kept asking for you. You’re free to take her home if you like.” 

_‘Good,’_ Eren had thought. Those fuckers ought to get detention, or worse, suspension for hurting his little girl! But, he knew he had to be an adult in this situation. He couldn’t simply swear and call these bullies curse words. He had to be strong and mature, for Ymir and, well, to look like a decent parent in front of the principal and handsome teacher. Schooling his features and loosening his grip, Eren worked on a reply.

“I would expect they get the proper punishment. Thank you, uhm,” Eren had to quickly take note of the nameplate on the desk, ”Mr Smith,” Eren replied, smiling sadly. 

He turned to look at little Ymir sitting on the chair, bottom lip pouting as she sniffed. “Hey, Kiddo. Do you want to go to Nan’s?” he asked gently, his chest hurting again from the sight. She nodded quickly, shuffling off the chair. “Do we need to grab homework from your desk?”

“No,” she whispered, picking up her bright neon pink backpack from the chair beside her. Eren took the bag from her, trying his best to smile and hide the pain and anger he felt. Thank god one of the teachers had seen them. He’d have hated to know what would’ve happened if no one put a stop to it. Or if she had to deal with a sticky dress all day long. At that thought, Eren looked on to the handsome man. 

“Thank you for catching them in the act,” Eren said to the short man with crossed arms. “I would hope it doesn’t happen again?” 

The man hummed, shifting his feet as he leaned onto the principal’s desk. “Damn well hope not. I’ll keep an eye out on her for you,” the dark haired answered, obviously trying to put Eren at ease. 

Feeling ever so grateful, Eren smiled thankfully, green eyes meeting icy coloured blue, almost grey ones before holding out a hand for shaking. 

“Thanks… err-”

“Levi,” Levi replied, stepping forward and shaking Eren’s hand firmly as ever. His grip was so tight and cold, and yet his hand was so small within Eren’s own. Eren had to school his features rather quickly, chanting his heart to slow down its sudden quicken pace. He hadn’t seen anyone since Ymir was two years old and clearly it was affecting him way too much if meeting a handsome stranger was all it took for it to zing back into gear as if like a love-sick teenager. 

“Thanks again, Levi,” Eren murmured, eyes still not leaving the shorter man, nor was he pulling back from the handshake. If it wasn’t for Ymir’s tug at his suit jacket, Eren would’ve continued to stare for hours on end. “Right, well uhm. See you.” 

Levi nodded, letting go as Eren took a step back and led Ymir out of the office and into now empty hallways. He breathed in a few times, calming himself from the whirlwind emotions he just experienced in that small office. 

_‘What a man,’_ Eren thought idly, walking down the hallway, Ymir’s tiny hand within his own, before remembering why he was here in the first place and knowing that she was probably still distraught about what happened. The anger and hurt spiked again at that very moment, his pace quickening as fast as Ymir could follow.

Rather than opening the can of worms just yet, he helped her into his car and sped off to Carla’s in hopes of keeping her at bay until in the comfort of his parent’s home. Sure enough, as soon as Carla opened the front door, Ymir’s lips twisted into the widest frown before weeping and stepping forth into her Nan’s outstretched arms. 

“Oh, Honey,” she cooed. “What happened?” 

Ymir shook her head, howling tears as she dug further into Carla’s chest. Carla’s brown eyes flicked up towards Eren, her eyebrows quirking in curiosity. 

“Stupid kids bullied her,” Eren said, a hand running through his short hair. 

“Do you know what they did?” 

“Yeah. They messed food all over her and pulled out her pigtails,” Eren explained, opening Ymir’s backpack to find that, yes, indeed the little grape fruit juice she loved so much to be missing and unfortunately stained all over the front of her school dress. 

“Honey,” Carla whispered soothingly, kissing the crown of her head. “You poor thing. Were the boys being mean to you?” Ymir nodded, her tears never slowing down. 

“They took my juice,” she weeped. 

“Oh, those silly boys. Come now, let’s get you inside. I’ve got more juice waiting in the fridge just for you. Would you like some?” 

Ymir nodded again, tears still falling down her face as Carla easily picked her up due to her petite size. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to Eren for this to have happened. Just because she went to a private school, much like him, didn’t mean the kids weren’t less inclined to be terrible to each other. 

Carla very much agreed once they were inside. Ymir was small and quiet, much like her maternal mother, Historia. She was pretty too, being bright blonde with sky blue eyes. Kids loved to pick on their peers who stood out unknowingly. Sure, she was beginning to talk more amongst them, clearly trying to not be the stand out loner one, but they obviously still saw her as a target. Eren tried to soothe Ymir and make her understand that whatever they did was not okay. And should it ever happen again, she had to go tell Mr Ackerman or any other teacher. She had to swear on it before he dropped the subject. 

An hour later, once his heart was at ease and he could think straight without wanting to punch something, Eren drove back into work. Only, his mind drifted from there and he idly wondered if he’d ever see Levi again. The amount of attraction the man held and the kinds of emotions it gave Eren that very moment they’d met was earth shattering. It’d been so long since he'd found anyone who he was interested in. 

The feeling almost felt foregin. 

He hadn’t reached out to anyone since Ymir was two years old. Only because she kept him busy and distracted. She was important, after all. He didn’t want anyone else to take away her importance or the time he spent with her after work or his days off. Nevermind the fact that she was still young. She needed routine and having the odd man come into the house or having her babysat at Nan’s while Eren was off gallivanting felt like it wouldn’t do her any good. Yet, the young man still bit his lip, the image of Levi burned into his memories. He knew deep down that he wasn’t going to be able to get rid of them anytime soon. It'd just have to do for now. For Ymir. 

But, as fate would have it, a month later he was once more called in and greeted by Levi, all of which instilled a mixture of feelings. Desire for the man, dressed nicely in the tightest dress shirt, sheer enough to see the strong muscles he had underneath. This time he could take note of the clean shaven undercut, and then his beautiful, pale skin and how the fine dark hairs stood out from it. All but until bitter anger fested when acknowledging what happened to Ymir _again._

This time a boy seated next to Ymir decided it was a good idea to break all the coloured pencils she’d gotten from Nan and Pops for Christmas the year prior. 

A month later - one of the girls thought it would be funny to toss Ymir’s clothes into the trash bins during swim practice. 

Another, a few books missing. 

Numerous times, her lunch was stolen.

A year thereafter, ugly scribbles were written all over her desk endlessly, day after day. Levi had reassured Eren those were being cleaned off by himself _personally_ and he was dead set on finding the brats and suspending their asses.

By the time Ymir reached thirteen, Eren was at his wits end. How dare his daughter be constantly ridiculed. Each month was something new, something more disastrous than the prior. The icing on the cake was the one day they found _‘bastard girl’_ graffitied onto her locker door. Someone had started a rumour and it was beyond the point of toxic that Ymir refused to attend school for a week straight for fear of what she’d find next. For what kids were saying behind her back, no matter how many times Levi had called to reassure them that punishments were taking place. He stopped by at Carla’s to drop off her school work every day back then, along with a chocolate bar as an apology. 

Quite frankly, Eren was ready to call his lawyer uncle on the school’s ass. Yet, he felt at such a loss. On one hand, he enjoyed seeing Levi - whom he later learned was the deputy principal. The man was always there, explaining what happened, assuring him the twerps were being suspended for a few days. That Eren didn’t need to worry, it was getting sorted. It was nice to get to see the man, get to know him, and relish in his beauty and kindness. He fit so perfectly into their lives that even Ymir found refuge and safety from Levi. On numerous occasions she’d hide away in his office during lunch times, finding it easier to be out of range of potential bullies. 

But on the other hand, his daughter was hurting terribly. He didn’t know what else he and Carla could do other than sending her to another school. Unfortunately the next one over was at least another extra twenty minute drive away, and sure, it may be smaller, but it was a lower classed public school. One in which Carla really didn’t want for their sweet Ymir. Carla desperately wanted her to have all the choices she could get. It was only fair. Ymir was showing signs of being so clever, so interested in the inner workings of engineering; constantly excelling in her mathematics classes and programming and creating circuit boards in science, it’d be a shame to pull her from such a highly funded school. 

Eren told Levi just as much as they walked around the school grounds. The young man was yet again at the school, dropping off something for Ymir for a different kind of accident. Thankfully, it wasn’t bully related. Just a little mishap on counting the days of the month wrong and having one of the students noticing before Ymir could. Thank god Eren had done the washing the night before. 

“Kids are real fuckers aren’t they?” Levi said, the wind gently blowing his jet black hair. 

“You’re telling me,” Eren huffed. “To think I was one of the idiots who used to bully the quiet ones when I was in school.” 

“Heh, sounds like two of us then,” Levi replied. There was a pregnant pause between the two as they walked alongside the grass. “Look, my hands are tied. I’ve tried my best. Aside from expelling these brats, Erwin can’t push further punishment. We’ve done too many suspensions already and if we keep going, the police might get involved. I think-”

Seeing red from the most ludicrous explanation yet, Eren halted abruptly, jumping to less desirable conclusions and replied rather loudly, “So what you’re telling me is to let it _slide?_ For Ymir to keep getting bullied on occasion? Are you out of your fucking mind?” 

“Here me out, asshat, _before_ you interrupt,” Levi hissed, looking up towards Eren with annoyance. 

“So-sorry,” Eren apologised sheepishly and relieved, taking a step forward again to continue on their walk. 

“My daughter had the same problem growing up, so I signed her up for martial arts.” 

“Self defence?” 

“Exactly. She kicked those fuckers in the balls once and they went running with their tails under their asses,” Levi said, the slightest upturned twitch to his lips. 

It made sense to Eren. Having Ymir learn self defence would surely help her stick up for herself. It sounded like a brilliant idea. Yeah, he really liked it. How on earth hadn’t he thought about it before? 

But wait-what!? Did Levi just say _daughter!?_

“Wa-wait!?,” Eren sputtered, eyes bulging from their sockets. _“You_ have a daughter?” 

Levi hummed, shrugging his shoulders as he took a corner, by passing the batting cages. 

“And yet you’re not married?” Eren questioned further invasvily. After the past few years, he’d never seen a ring on Levi’s finger. It kept him hopeful, despite their unfavourable reasons for meeting every month or so. Eren had assumed perhaps Levi was just a single, childless bachelor who was dedicated to the teaching field. He did learn that the man was once a teacher too, before being offered the part of deputy principal at this particular school. Eren had assumed supporting kids each day at work was enough for Levi. 

“No. Mikasa’s mother passed away when she was born.” 

_‘Christ, way to go Eren for making things awkward. The poor man. That would’ve been traumatising. No wonder Levi had never brought it up.’_

“Oh. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s whatever. Been over twenty-three years.”

“Christ,” Eren whispered. There he was, thinking _ten_ years was long enough. Twenty-three sounded far too lonely, even by his standards. “You never sought out another wife?” 

“Husband,” Levi corrected nonchalantly. “Mayu was my second cousin. I took Mikasa in for her.” 

Eren was once more floored, his heart skipping a beat. First at the confirmation that Levi was at least bisexual and then from what a selfless, empathetic man he was, despite the rough exterior he had. If Eren could fall any deeper into the hole he was currently in, he would at that very moment. In fact, he seemed to be digging deeper into the pit, his intentions of never letting his silly crush go setting in stone. Their situations seemed so uncanny. Single fathers gifted with two girls neither of them planned nor asked for. Yet, simply adopted for good deed and perhaps duty. For being good, selfless people, he was sure. For wanting them to have the greatest chance at a happy life.

 _‘What a man,’_ Eren thought dreamily. _‘Everything I could ever ask for in a partner. Handsome, realistic, to the point, smart, kind, selfless, sex-’_

“Look, Yeager. I’ve tried fighting for Ymir, but shitty eyebrows has had enough. It’s the best advice I can give you. That or change schools.” 

Reeling himself back to reality and away from his love-riddled brain, Eren took a moment to remember why he was taking a walk with Levi in the first place. Advice. Advice on what to do with Ymir’s bullying problem. 

“Do you have any recommendations, then? For a martial arts dojo.” 

Levi smirked, looking up at Eren. “I do. My uncle runs a decent dojo nearby.”

By decent, Eren supposed Levi meant in terms of teaching. The place was heavily run down, but brimming with kids. They looked like they knew what they were doing and that alone eased Eren’s worries. 

Kenny was an interesting man to say the least. Past the smoke fumes wafting from his clothes and his gruff voice and dark grey beard and hair, he seemed like a good man. The kids loved him, even more so when he called them his ‘rascals’ in an endearing sort of way and pointed them to the snacks table after their classes. 

It took Ymir a few weeks to get into it. Eventually, it was all that kept her going and the only thing she ever talked Eren’s ear off about. It was nice though, listening to her speak about ‘Uncle Kenny’ and all the friends she was making within the classes. 

By the time she was earning her second belt colour, she was able to show those bullies they could no longer torture her. Slowly from there she came out of her shell. Even made a friend named Isabel, who was quite the whirlwind storm. It was nice to see Ymir making a friend, even if his heart broke a little when she started having sleepovers at Isabel’s house almost every second weekend. Eren was beyond happy for her. She came home chirpy and actually enjoyed going to school. She started wanting to go out to the mall with her friend and to the movies. Wanted to do more things like participate in clubs and groups at school. 

It almost made Eren a little bittersweet. He loved watching Ymir grow and become confident within herself, but with no longer being bullied as much, he wasn’t anymore called into the school. It had completely nullified his reasons to see Levi. 

Luckily though, every so often Eren would need to attend school functions and prize givings. Those were always accompanied by Carla, a camera in her hand to document the entire experience. She caught wind of Eren’s lustful stare very early on and had done nothing but send a thumbs up and a wink. It became an embarrassing tradition after that too, followed by her relentless teasing. She knew Levi was a good man. Had just as much trust in him as Eren had. Knew of everything Levi did for their little Ymir. 

Then there was the most embarrassing moment of all, when Carla had ushered Levi into a group picture at the first prize giving of Ymir’s freshman year at high school. She’d won the math-olympics medal and the award for being top of her year level in math. Carla had begged him to ask Levi out that day, but Eren wasn’t quite ready yet. Ymir still had a while to go with school. He needed to wait a little while longer, even though by now she could clearly understand if Eren did bring someone home. He just didn’t want to end their small, peaceful life yet. He wanted to enjoy it a little longer, now that everything was perfect. He’d still see Levi at functions. That was enough for now. He could settle for it.

The year after, at age sixteen, Ymir truly matured and became independent. It was an easy going summer day. The mall was packed for a Saturday, filled with shoppers trying to escape the scorching heat. They had walked past a cafe near the food court, with a large _‘HIRING’_ sign plastered on the window. Ymir was already doing newspaper runs once a week, but now that she was of age - and with Eren actually agreeing to it, he wanted her to stay carefree as long as possible - she had her eyes set out on a proper part time job. 

It confused Eren on why she would ever want such a thing. When he was sixteen, a part time job was the last thing on his mind. Staying home and playing on his playstation was the greatest time of all. Or spending endless summers riding his bike with his best friend and wasting their pocket money at arcades. However, Ymir was so unlike him. She had matured a lot faster than Eren ever did. From being bullied, or taking Kenny’s self defence classes or simply being an only child, Eren supposed they all formulated to whom she grew to be. 

It all happened so quickly. A meet and greet, a quick run to the car to grab a copy of her CV and within a few days, she was called in for a trial. The owner of the cafe had been kind, patient, and incredibly thoughtful. She taught Ymir all there was to know; from espresso making to cashier and serving. 

Every time Eren went to drop Ymir off, he couldn’t help but stare at the owner, feeling like she looked _so_ familiar. The deathly pale skin, darkest of hair, the face shape, the way she walked and held herself. Even her mannerisms. Fortunately he wasn’t left long to think about it. Three weeks into work, all Ymir ever spoke about was ‘Mikasa this’ and ‘Mikasa that.’ The dots connected quickly from there, a lightbulb flashing as soon as he realised she was, without a doubt, Levi’s daughter. 

It was safe to say that Mikasa became the next big part of their lives. Ymir looked up to her a lot, enough to sometimes go out for lunch on the rare day off and ask for advice on things that Eren nor Carla were allowed to know about. Eren was relieved. He wanted Ymir to have a strong, independent woman in her life and Mikasa was the perfect person to fill that position. Especially since he knew Levi would’ve raised her to be well mannered and realistic. 

In fact, it was Mikasa who talked Ymir into ever attending prom. Ymir wasn’t someone who was interested in those kinds of things - whether that was Eren’s influence or not, he had no idea. Granted, he was a bit of a romantic himself, always watching romcoms and reading romance novels. He just liked the idea of romance, especially since he told himself he wouldn’t allow another man into their lives until Ymir was out of the house. 

It wasn’t like he pressured Ymir into watching those movies with him, he just simply never wanted to go to the theatres alone out of mere embarrassment. However, it was clear as day that Ymir had no interest in romance nor boys or girls alike. She wasn’t even interested in things such as makeup or anything of the sort. She liked constructing and designing. Things Eren was cheering her on for in every aspect. Unfortunately Carla wasn’t too fond of it, as she always wanted a daughter or granddaughter she could fret about and gossip with. Belatedly, Eren realised they _did_ gossip. About him. All the time. Especially about his lack of love-life. God forbid the name _Levi_ got mentioned.

Thus, Mikasa and Carla helped her choose out a dress, and did her hair and makeup before she headed off to meet at Isabel’s house. It’d been such a delightful and yet bittersweet moment for Eren. To see his little girl having grown into such a beautiful young lady. Gone were the days she was a quiet soul, playing in her sandbox for hours and building castles and huts for her dinosaurs. Now she had matured into a young woman and had her future career as an architect all sorted out. 

Looking up at the picture of Ymir’s high school graduation, Eren’s heart tugged at all the memories. The start had felt so scary and uncertain, and in the end as time flew, it turned out to be a beautiful journey. It all went within a blink of an eye. They’d been so lucky. Despite all the ill things that had happened to Ymir, they had such strong and supportive people in their lives. From Carla and Grisha, to Levi, Kenny and Mikasa, who had guided them and helped at each roadblock the pair stumbled upon.

Graduation had been the end of one chapter and the start of a new one. Not just for Ymir, who was graduating with a scholarship at the nearby college, but for Eren too. It was the first time in many years that he decided to think of himself and his own future. The timing was right and maybe, just maybe, he could reach out and become _proper_ friends with Levi. 

The idea sat with him for weeks. Ever since receiving the invitation to Ymir’s graduation ceremony, it was all that Eren could think about. It would be the perfect opportunity to ask Levi out for coffee. Maybe not as a potential love interest at first, but merely as friends or two single dads needing some time out. 

It was nerve wracking to say the least. The day brought a whirlwind of anxiety, excitement and pride. He was so utterly proud of Ymir for all she accomplished that his initial anxious thoughts about asking Levi to hang out were left sinking under the rolling waves of excitement. The ceremony was long and drawn out. Hot too, considering it took place inside the gymnasium. The speeches were tiring and Eren was caught off guard when Isabel had stood up on the podium as the valedictorian. He tried not to cry when Ymir walked along the stage, receiving her certificate and staying put for a photo. Carla definitely did, ruining her makeup as she took an endless bout of photos. Even Gisha had sniffled a few tears, but Eren kept that a secret to himself because he too had tears in his eyes. 

And when all was said and done, with more photos afterwards and flowers passed on, along with lots of hugs and kisses, Eren easily found Levi outside of the crowd. He was leaning up against the gymnasium wall, under the shelter and away from the heat of the sun. He was in full suit attire, talking to the odd parent and student who walked on by and wished him farewell. 

The sight of Levi always had Eren’s heart stuttering and longing for more. His dreams were filled with getting to know more the man, of reaching out, of touching more than just a hand, of hugging and tasting, and learning all of his secrets. Of more and more, especially when these last few years had been so drawn out with barely any moments together. He swallowed nervously, the reminder of what he planned to ask Levi all flooding back to him within an instant. It was such a tidal wave, Eren thought he was going to be sick. Yet, he swallowed up the bile drly, took a deep breath and excused himself in favour of heading towards the man. 

“Hey stranger,” Eren greeted, masking his nervousness and raising a hand for a half wave. 

“Yeager,” Levi answered, his eyes widening a touch at recognition. 

“Been some time, huh?” 

Levi snorted. “Speak for yourself, I could barely recognise you, you old fart. That’s not the shade of brown I remember seeing you in last time.” 

Eren laughed nervously, hand running through his freshly coloured hair. He couldn’t very well show up to Ymir’s graduation with a few silver streaks. “Unfortunately. Didn’t think I’d be dying my hair this early on in life.” 

“Yeah well, no one does.” 

“I applaud your balls not to,” Eren noted, nodding to Levi’s _very_ greying hair. With knowing him for almost seven years, it was hard not to notice the slightest changes. The hair had been the biggest in the past three. 

“It’s just hair.” 

“Yeah, but in our _thirties?”_

Levi scoffed, looking up at Eren incredulously. “You think I’m in my fucking thirties?” 

In truth, Eren never really thought about Levi’s age. The man looked so attractive, despite the dark circles under his eyes and the odd few wrinkles. Eren deduced that came with the stress of having such an important role. He kept in shape, Eren knew. There was no other reason why he had such bulging biceps under those long sleeved shirts. He’d always been so good looking, there was no way Levi could be over forty. 

“You-you’re not?” Eren asked, his eyes widening, eyebrows shooting past his bangs. Levi shook his head. “Seriously? You don’t look a day older than forty.” 

“Try past forty.” 

“Nooo,” Eren protested, completely in shock. “How far past forty?” 

“If you're in your thirties, I would’ve been a teenager while you were in diapers.” 

“God,” Eren huffed. “You’re making me feel like a child now. So if you’re pasty forty, you’re at least thirteen years older then.” 

“Heh,” Levi hummed, a small smile on his face. “I’ll spare you then. How old are you, Yeager?”

“Thirty-eight.” 

“Fifty-two.”

Eren’s eyes bulged out of their sockets at that. Fifty-two!? But Levi barely had wrinkles. Frown lines, sure. Forehead lines, yeah, a ladder full of them. Bags under his eyes? Yeah, but that was normal when dealing with kids. But fifty-fucking-two. Never! Eren would never have guessed that. Levi did not look like it, at all. 

Lord, what was Eren even thinking of falling for a man, fourteen, maybe even fifteen years older than him? If Eren was any younger, he was sure Carla would skin him alive considering Levi was closer in age to her than him! He was so gobsmacked at the revelation, Eren had no idea what to say. What was there to say? 

_‘I still find you hot, even if you’re practically nearly a grandpa?’_

“Age is just a number?” he tried instead, for making himself feel better and to not offend Levi in any way. 

“Clearly, considering your premature greying hair,” Levi threw back, smirking at Eren.

“Hey now,” Eren argued, face growing red. Not wanting Levi to think anything else was prematurely happening, he quickly added, “I’ll have you know that my hair is the _only_ thing that’s giving up on me so far.” 

“Good for you,” Levi chuckled, shaking his head as he looked on back to the guests and students, black robes fluttering in the wind. 

They watched on, the excitement palatable from where they stood in the shade. Green eyes easily found the ones most important to him within the crowd. Carla’s voice was loud enough to tune out the rest. Grisha distractedly talking to Isabel’s parents and Ymir chatting with her friends, her cheeks red, her eyes lined with makeup and her smile beautiful and bright. If he looked hard enough, he could’ve sworn she had looked at them for a split second, her smile pulled into a knowing smirk. 

“She grew up so quickly.” 

“They all do.” 

Eren nodded. So did he. Time had done awful things to him as well, much like Levi. One of these days he was going to be forty himself and lonely. Ymir would be gone and then what? Would he still drive past the school, longing for something he never had the guts to ask for? Constantly wonder what Levi was up to? Ponder the what if’s and potential maybe’s if he didn’t back out. The thought had him nauseous once more. Swallowing the anxiety, chanting internally to calm down; there was no need to get so worked up. It was just Levi. Someone he’d come to trust so much. 

It was now or never. It’d be the last chance he’d ever get to see Levi at school. He knew Levi wouldn’t ridicule him either for it. The man wasn’t like that. He’d decline and that was that. He had to try at least. 

“Hey, uhm. So, I hear Mikasa’s got a cafe.” 

Levi clicked his tongue “Heh. You only figured that out now?” 

“Well, of course I knew. It’s just-” Eren paused, swallowing as his stomach tumbled uncomfortably. “Ah, forget it, it’s a messed up thought anyway.”

“Try me.” 

Eren sucked in a breath, turning his face downwards to find Levi looking up at him, his grey eyes almost intense, encouraging him to spit it out without being a wuss. “Would you like to meet up sometime?” Eren asked quietly, sweat lining his forehead. “Catch up properly and stuff.” 

“Sure,” Levi replied, his eyes crinkling, crows feet etched into his skin. 

“Really?” Eren stared in shock, eyes never blinking as he tried to compute the answer.

“Yeah.”

“Cool, uhm. Can we swap numbers then? Choose a date and time?” 

That’s how their weekly tea meetups began. 

A year and a half later, they were still happy in their routine, despite Eren desperately wanting to add more to their friendship. To do all the things to Levi that constantly kept him up late at night. Itching for more than just his right hand. For wanting to taste those thin red lips. To thread his fingers through that silver hair, to hold his small hands, to run light fingers over hairy forearms, to hold and to cherish. Yearning for more time spent somewhere other than the little cafe. To put all those things he’s learned about Levi to actual use. And finally, to agree to go to Mikasa’s wedding the year after, not as Ymir’s plus one, but as Levi’s. To stand by him, for moral support as he watches his only daughter enter a new chapter of her life. 

The only problem was, Eren couldn’t tell how Levi felt about him. 

At first, Eren assumed Levi was one of those people who weren’t interested in relationships. Considering how many years he’s spent without having a partner, it was hard to know if Levi even cared for Eren’s attraction. That was until the younger man learned that Levi was a sucker for a good written romance novel. None of that Twilight crap, but the deep love of Pride and Prejudice and The Notebook. It’d been a fleeting mention, among all the horror and thriller he constantly recommended to Eren. Never mind all the horror films Levi egged him into watching so they could discuss the week after. Those often left Eren having embarrassing nightmares for weeks on end.

Once Eren added some flirting to the mix, things changed only by a hair. Levi knew _exactly_ what to say to put Eren on edge. Granted, that was probably due to experience, but it never seemed serious. More like he was humouring Eren’s fruitless attempts at being brave and trying his luck. 

That’s just how their friendship progressed. Every Saturday or Sunday would come with banter and laughter. Maybe once or twice things would get deep, but their meetups were light and meant getting away from all their worries. 

In the midst of it all, Eren also tried physically telling Levi. With a bump of knees, a flip-flop-less foot ‘accidentally’ rubbing against Levi’s leg, a touch of a hand, a gift close to his birthday, and an exchange of things like pens or a new spray n wipe Levi _had_ to try. 

And yet, despite Ymir and Carla saying his crush was _so_ god damn obvious, nothing ever happened. Eren didn’t know why and it was unconsciously freaking him out. Was his cues not obvious enough to Levi, perhaps? Was he meant to just say it? Confess? Right there in that little cafe? 

It was nerve wracking. Time was slipping too fast. He was on the cufts end of turning forty once the new year rolled by. Carla was very right in that soon enough he was going to be alone. Potentially die alone. He had to come forth with this. There was no other man out there that could ever compete with Levi. Not after everything they’d been through together. Not with how easily Levi and Mikasa had fit into his and Ymir’s lives. 

Ymir’s suggestion plagued his mind endlessly for the rest of the night. It left him with less than two hours sleep. His dreaded alarm was deafening, but at least the scrambled eggs and bacon he found on the kitchen counter was a nice touch. 

Minus the post it note attached to said plate. 

_‘Ask him?’_ \- YY

Eren groaned, fingers ripping off the note and scrunching it up for the trash. _‘How ridiculous,’_ he’d thought. Being pressured by his own daughter to ask the man he’s been crushing on for years out. What a silly situation he’s found himself in. Couldn’t she do it for him? Surely she should know by now that despite him enjoying romcom movies, time has eaten away his confidence. Add the fact that Levi has given him no opportunities, his pride and courage was left hanging by a singular thread. 

Yet, the thread was clearly strong enough as he still found himself driving to the shopping mall for their Saturday morning meetup. The traffic was horrendous, cars piled up as the snow came down lightly. Each passing house was littered with Christmas lights and music. 

The mall was worse for wear after he finally found a parking spot miles away. 

Mikasa’s cafe wasn’t spared either. It was bustling for ten in the morning. Granted, it was the weekend before Christmas and of course everyone left all the present buying for the last minute. It made sense for the malls to be filled with people. But considering it was not lunch time yet, it seemed almost out of place for the cafe to be too. 

Taking off his jacket, Eren scanned the vicinity, spotting Ymir on the espresso machine and working her magic. Then there was Mikasa and the other staff, scurrying behind the counters. Mikasa luckily noticed him, lifting her hand and nodding. Eren full well knew she was going to make his regular winter order of a large mocha. 

Twirling on the balls of his feet, Eren found Levi sitting at one of the far back circular tables and squashed into a small corner. There was already a teapot on the table, along with a cup and empty plate. An iPad in hand, no doubt reading like he always was when waiting for Eren. He was rugged up in a dress shirt and knitted jersey while his favoured black peacoat hung from the backrest. The salt and peppered fringe hung over his face and black rimmed glasses, thin black brows furrowed and lips pulled into a frown as eyes followed the line of words on screen. 

Eren licked his lips as he walked on over, wondering if someday he’d be able to greet Levi by cupping his jaw, angling his face up as their lips would meet sweetly. Levi would hum so lowly that it’d set both Eren’s heart and stomach on fire with love and lust all alike. 

“Sorry I’m late,” Eren apologised, pulling out a chair from across Levi. 

“Two minutes isn’t your worst,” Levi said, grey eyes looking up from the thick black rimmed reading glasses. “Busy out there?”

“You would not believe it,” Eren grumbled before continuing on about how horrible the traffic was and how many Christmas shoppers he had to bypass. 

They got lost in complaining about how ludicrous it all was. The insane last minute shopping and how many people were spending their money carelessly. Levi also stated that yesterday when he came by to drop something off for Mikasa, the cafe was packed too. It’d been past eight at night when he had, since the malls were open until midnight.

Eventually his mocha came, along with a little red heart shaped chocolate on the side. Eren looked up suspiciously at Mikasa, who smiled just a tad before walking off. Levi didn’t say anything and rather went in for another sip of his tea. Eren shot a glance back to Mikasa, before twisting back. 

“So, I heard from Ymir that Mikasa is going to Jean’s for Christmas?” Eren said, copying Levi’s actions and testing the heat of the liquid before slurping quietly, chocolate froth covering his upper lip. 

Levi clicked his tongue, placing his cup down with a clink. “News travels fast with those two.” 

“They do like to gossip,” Eren agreed, snickered behind his mug. “So? What _will_ you be doing?” 

Levi stayed silent for a moment, eyes looking down at the liquid in his cup. He seemed contemplative, if Eren was guessing. Levi was sometimes still hard to read. It’d taken him years to figure out which eye flick meant what, which part of an eyebrow movement meant anger or annoyance or curiosity. It was all part of Levi’s charm and yet another thing that Eren loved so much about the man. He wasn’t expressive in the least, but he was the most down to earth person Eren had ever known and that’s what he liked. It was unusual for Levi to be hesitant. Eren faintly wondered if it was embarrassment. Or maybe he had plans in the works and wasn’t too sure yet if they’d come through. 

“Staying indoors and far away from the cold ass snow,” Levi said, eyes finally looking up to meet Eren’s questioning gaze. “Mikasa drags me out every year. Thank fuck I finally don’t have to freeze my balls off for once.” 

It would’ve been the perfect opportunity to ask. To simply say, _‘Want to go out on a date instead?’_ or something of the sort. But Eren was scared and he lacked the courage Carla and Ymir spoke of.

“That doesn’t seem like fun. Won’t it be lonely not being around anyone for Christmas and your birthday?” 

The silence stretched between them, Levi staring at Eren. The younger man thought it seemed out of place. Why would Levi not get to the point like he always did? 

‘ _Oh no,’_ Eren thought. Maybe he did have plans with friends or a potential lover, or, or-

“I’ve got Savannah.” 

It took Eren a moment to remember who Levi meant. It was a cat. His cat. A cat which Eren knew Levi loved too much, if his old-man styled Facebook had say in anything. It was the only photos he had up on there, aside from the rare one that Mikasa tagged him in. Even his profile picture was of his beloved cat wearing a purple witch hat. Then there was his phone lock screen. And his iPad background. Eren swore that Levi probably had a framed photo of her on his nightstand. It seemed funny now that he didn’t initially think he’d want to spend time with her. He should’ve known better - Levi often spoke more about his black, chubby cat than his own daughter.

“Your cat,” Eren murmured in recognition. 

“Wouldn’t want her to be alone either,” Levi explained. 

The question itched at his throat. The words clawing their way up and up, begging him to just say it. To spit it out. To suggest he joins them. They could watch movies. Maybe have a home cooked meal. So then Levi could be with his precious cat and eren. Anything and everything. Just _something_ that would bring them together.

Yet, as fast as Eren’s heart was beating, as much as his hands started sweating, and as much as his stomach churned, all that came out was a simple, “No, don’t suppose she’d be happy to be alone. At least you’ll have each other.”

Levi hummed and went on to ask him about his Christmas day. Before Eren could round up the courage once more, the topic changed and they were onto plans for the New Year.

Eren knew he had missed his chance.

By the time they were walking out of the mall and to their cars, each in different directions, Eren felt angry. Furious. Annoyed. Incompetant. Why couldn’t he just say it? Why was he holding himself back? Was it uncertainty? Was it from being scared of ruining the friendship they had built up all those years? 

He was clearly so lost in his own thoughts that when they did wish each other goodbye and Happy Holidays for Friday, Levi had awkwardly stood there, silently watching Eren for what seemed like hours. His eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes questioning and waiting, but Eren couldn’t understand why while his mind whirred in turmoil. Eventually Levi had shrugged, clicking his tongue and walked off with another goodbye. 

He hated himself for not asking. He knew Ymir and Carla were going to be beyond pissed at him. 

Eren ended up wallowing in self-pity like a recently dumped teenager the minute he got home. Lighting the fireplace and blasting all his favourite songs on Spotify to ebb away the shame and disappointment he felt. Because even though he was beating himself up right now, he knew he’d get it again once Ymir came home. At least he could spend the afternoon _enjoying_ the pity party before he got scolded for chickening out.

He wasn’t wrong either. With dinner cooked and laid out on their little circular dining table, Ymir home for only twenty minutes, showered and dressed in her thick winter pjs. She gave him no mercy. No chance to even think of an excuse. She went straight to the point. 

“So, did you ask him?” she asked, fork in the air, pointing straight at him. 

“Ask who what?” Eren questioned, feigning naivety. 

“Oh, my god. Dad, come on!” Ymir whined, dropping her fork loudly against the wood. “Are you kidding me!?”

Eren swallowed, his eyes widening at her sudden outburst. “Ymir, I told you-”

“Grow a pair, Dad!” she shouted. Eren gasped, beyond shocked at his daughter’s forwardness.

“Ymir-”

“No seriously, please. For the love of God! I’m so sick of watching you act like a love sick puppy. Please spare me and Nan. Please! Ask him out already! Come on!” 

“Ymir, you don’t understand,” Eren pleaded, “There is no way Levi feels the same way. If I’m truly as an open book as you say I am, surely he would’ve realised it by now and pointed it out.” 

Ymir growled in exasperation, throwing her hands up in the air. “Dad! Have you ever thought that maybe he’s waiting for _you_ to ask _him!_?”

“Well no, I-” Eren started, coming to a complete halt in his sentence as soon as he computed the words. Levi was _what?_ “Wait, what?” 

“I’m just so sick and tired of you two running around each other, avoiding what’s right in front of you.” Ymir chided, lowering her arms and resting back against the chair. “Mikasa is too. We’re tired of you two being such stubborn old men.”

Eren barely registered what she continued with. His brain was stuck. The words on repeat. 

_‘Waiting for you to ask him’_ and _‘ask him,’_ and _‘ask him,’_ and eren.exe has stopped working.

Levi was waiting for _him?_ All this time. After all this-

And then it made sense. The hesitation in the cafe. The way Levi studied his cup. The silence that dragged. Their awkward goodbye. 

Levi was waiting. For him. For Eren to admit the obvious truth. 

But that's ludicrous! Levi was the type of guy who took matters in his own hands. Unless… Unless he was just as uncertain. Just as afraid of what future they could have. Of ruining a friendship they’ve built. Of causing their daughter’s friendship to tumble along with theirs.

Too scared to risk what they have. Too in love to ever say goodbye should things not work favourably. 

“Did you just-” Eren whispered numbly, shaking his head in disbelief as his eyes glazed over. 

“Dad. Come on, it’s so obvious,” Ymir mumbled tiredly, leaning forward to rest her arms on the table. “From that very first day, you know, when stupid Floch poured the grape juice on my dress. You were practically drooling as you shook Levi’s hand. I’m shocked you never realised the way Levi stared back at you.” 

“Levi stared at me?”

“Sorry to burst your bubble, but yeah. Not just then. But _all_ the time, you know. It’s kind of funny how you’ve never realised. Isabel and I used to laugh about it all the time.”

“Fuck,” Eren whispered, looking down at the table, in shock and disbelief at all the sudden revelations and truths. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” 

“Indeed.”

Looking up at his daughter, turmoil and regret written all over his face. “Jesus, I’m a fucking idiot.”

Ymir shook her head slowly, smiling encouragingly at Eren. “Text him, please? For me. He won’t say no, I swear.” 

“But Christmas is next Friday. That’s too late to make bookings, what on earth am I supposed to even-”

“That’s where I come in,” Ymir grinned, sitting back up straight. “Because you know, if having your romantic butt forcing me to watch all those romcoms on weekends has done anything, it’s at least taught me what you like. So, listen here.”

Eren nodded, picking up his phone and opening a notepad app. “What do you have planned for me then?”

“You’re going to text Levi and ask him out for dinner on Friday. You’re taking him to Menya Kisso.”

“Alright, Menya Kisso,” Eren nodded, tapping in the words before realising he had no idea how that was spelt nor what it was. “Menya Kisso? What on earth is that?” he asked, thick brown eyebrows furrowing in confusion. 

“Mikasa said it’s Levi’s favourite ramen place,” Ymir explained nonchalantly.

“Ramen!?” Eren exclaimed. “I thought Levi liked sushi?” 

Ymir rubbed her forehead, muttering something under her breath. “He does! But this ramen place is his absolute favourite, according to Mikasa.”

“Alright, Menya Kisso it is.”

“Okay, so then, you know that park you, Nan, and Pops always took me to? The one with all the Christmas lights, rides, music, and good vibes?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re going to take him there. Buy him a candy cane tea. Mikasa say’s that’s what he gets every year. Make sure you buy it with milk. It’s the _one_ tea he doesn’t mind made with something other than water.” 

“How on earth-”

“Ah-” Ymir interrupted. “Not finished yet, keep writing, Dad. _And_ then, you’re either going to come back here, or to his and I don’t care, okay. Do whatever you want after that. Whether that be watching those horror movies Levi likes so much or doing whatever you men do with your _things.”_

 _‘Oh god,’_ Eren grimaced at the last bit. How dreadful to have been told such a thing by his own daughter. Embarrassing and wrong and awfully traumatizing. 

“Y-Ymir!” Eren spluttered, face bursting to flames, hands shaky as he held his phone. 

“Just don’t make a mess,” she warned, her own cheeks tinting red, her blue eyes avoiding Eren’s own. “Oh and, get him a birthday gift, I guess?” 

“What do you suggest?” 

Ymir frowned, slapped her palm across her forehead. “Eight years, Dad. I’m sure you can figure that one out yourself.” 

Ymir was right. A gift was at least something he could think of. Not that Levi would expect one. 

“Guess I’ll text him right now?”

Ymir leaned forward again, elbows resting either side of her plate, her face pulled in an expression that told Eren she was completely done with his shit. 

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Eren murmured wisely, tapping his way to the message app.

 **[Eren]  
** So… I hear you’re alone on Christmas Day/your birthday

 **[Levi]  
** As we discussed this morning, old man.   
Memory failing you now?

 **[Eren]  
** No…  
Just me wanting to ask something stupid  
Didn’t have the guts to do it in person

 **[Levi]  
** Spit it out then.  
I’ve got dishes that need washing. 

Eren bit his lip, nerves eating at him. He swatted them away though, the corners of his lips pulling to a small smile. He could do this. Ymir had faith in him and he trusted everything his daughter had said.

 **[Eren]  
** How do you feel about going out with me for dinner?

 **[Levi]  
** Oh? Did you decide not to stuff yourself this year?  
What did you have in mind?

Eren sighed in relief. A giddy, fluttering feeling starting in his chest. Levi had said yes. Levi wanted to go out for dinner with him. Never had he thought this was finally going to happen. And there it was, the evidence right in front of him, making him want to shoot right off his chair and scream to the world in happiness. But first, he had to finalise those plans.

 **[Eren]  
** A surprise!   
I’ll pick you up at 6.30pm on Friday?   
Send me your address too please

 **[Levi]  
** I hate surprises. 

**[Eren]  
** I’ll make it worth your while 

**[Levi]  
** Do I get a hint?

 **[Eren]  
** No…  
Send me your address?

 **[Levi]  
** Asshat.  
Here you go……

Eren gasped when he saw the suburb name, almost falling out of his seat when his eyes passed over the text. It was one of the nicer areas in town. Right next to the one in which he grew up in. Levi lived pretty close to the school, up on the hill with nice views. He decided right there and then that he would most certainly not bring Levi over to his and Ymir’s rental. God forbid Levi see the awful state of their house. 

The next problem he had to tackle was a gift. Even though they spent a good portion of the morning complaining about Christmas not being about gifts, it was Levi’s birthday and he had to get the man something either way. 

So, he spent the better half of the week re-learning how to knit alongside Carla. The year prior Eren had gotten Levi an array of tea leaves from overseas. He felt that buying a similar gift wouldn’t be very nice, nor would it arrive in time. If he couldn’t afford a fancy enough gift at the stores, Levi would have to make due with a handmade scarf. Or two. Because he most certainly asked Carla to make a better, extravagant one. Eren was out of touch with his knitting skills, after all. Long gone were the years that he would have to make them for Ymir when she was just a little girl. Nowadays she preferred to buy thicker, fluffier ones from stores with her own hard earned cash. 

The week was stressful, to say the least. He constantly worked himself up over the damn scarves and his eventual confession during their date. Because he was going to do it. He had to. Knowing that Levi felt the same, there was no option for him not to. 

It started with a ‘Happy Birthday and Happy Holidays’ text on the morning of Christmas. A drive on over to his parent’s and a breakfast that filled him to the brim. Gifts were exchanged, Grisha in a santa hat as he dished out everyone’s presents. Music played in the background, Ymir laughing at all the socks she’d been given. It was an item she had asked for, but clearly with the lack of communication, everyone ended up buying her a few pairs. 

An early afternoon spent playing monopoly, Ymir easily whooping their asses as she always did before Grisha brought out the rummikub, a game which he was best at. Christmas lunch was another feast with honey glazed ham and deliciously roasted vegetables. By then Eren’s nerves were wearing thin. Having to leave the cosy home and the ones he loved for another felt strange and surreal. He wondered if perhaps the following year could mean they all come together, Mikasa and her soon-to-be husband too. 

It was a nice thought. To have their little family grow. Mikasa and Levi would slip in so easily, as they already have. Carla liked them both and Eren didn’t doubt for a second Grisha would feel any differently. Ymir would have no qualms for that very morning, once giving him a kiss on the cheek, she stated that she wouldn’t mind having another dad or a step-sister around.

 _‘Wishful thinking,’_ Eren thought.

But it was hard not. 

Especially so as he showered, taking the time to clean every part of him for he had no idea what the night would hold. From washed hair to clean shaven face, to lathering private places he only touched at the dead of night when he wasn’t too exhausted. 

To the butterflies that fluttered in his stomach as he drove through dark quiet streets, houses filled with people, laughter and warm food. Thankfully the way to get to Levi’s was easy and before he knew it, he was parking up in front of a two story house with little yellow Christmas lights lining the roof and front porch. 

“You can do this,” Eren whispered, heart stuck in his throat. He nervously got out of the car and grabbed the boxed gift he and Carla tirelessly worked on. “It’s just Levi.”

A press of the doorbell and two minutes later, the door opened, revealing Levi dressed to impress. Eren gasped, taking in the sight that never got old. He was in his signature attire of a dress shirt and dark, navy blue knitted jersey over the top. But it was those _pants._ They were definitely new. Eren had never seen Levi in such tight jeans before. In slacks, always, but jeans? Never. Levi looked divine. 

“You’re early,” Levi stated, eyes widened in surprise too. “For once.” 

“You live a lot closer to my parents than expected,” Eren explained, steam coming from his mouth as he chuckled. “Oh and… for you,” Eren continued, holding out the boxed gift. His cheeks grew warm as Levi stared at him, grey eyes flicking to the box and then back to Eren. 

“Thank you,” Levi said, taking it gently. “You shouldn’t have.”

“It’s your birthday,” Eren answered, a grin forming. “Happy birthday!” 

Levi chuckled, “Give me a minute, I’ll be out soon.” 

Eren nodded, his smile still bright, feeling giddy as Levi left the foyer and took a left. He stood awkwardly at the door, taking a nosey look inside the house. The walls were a light cream colour, the carpets steel grey and soft looking. There was a shoe cabinet to his right, along with a few bits and bobs on top, including a small picture of Levi with a young Mikasa. She was probably around the age of ten, if he were to guess. The framed image made his heart stutter in an unusual way; from never having seen Levi so young before. Levi would’ve only been in his thirties back then - youthful and handsome as he still was. Eren found it difficult to peel his eyes away, engrossed in all the small details, like the lack of fine lines and the deep, dark black hair. The way his smile was so subtle, his eyes full of something Eren hadn’t ever seen before as they looked down to Mikasa.

Eren would’ve happily kept staring, maybe even sneak inside with his dirty snow boots and get a closer look, but he got completely distracted by the faintest of meows coming from within. Turning his attention back to the foyer, he found a chubby, fluffy black cat with a bright purple collar sitting a few inches away, her tail swishing, her eyes wide and curious. 

“Hey Savannah,” he greeted with a grin, crouching down and stretching out an arm. “Nice to meet you.” 

She meowed at Eren, staring at him suspiciously before settling herself down, eyes never leaving him. He made kissy noises, rubbing his fingers together in order to coax her over. She wouldn’t have any of it, not even when Levi returned with his usual black peacoat, gloves and- Eren’s heart nearly leaped out of his chest when he noticed the navy blue woolen scarf. It was the one he made for Levi. 

Eren couldn’t believe it. 

Levi was wearing it, something he worked so hard on and put so much love into. He looked breathtaking in it, the blue complimenting his pale skin wonderfully. Love burst within his chest, feeling so proud of himself to have gifted Levi something the man liked enough to wear. 

“Don’t mind her,” Levi excused, taking out a pair of snow boots from the shoe cabinet. “She’ll warm up to you.” 

Eren chuckled breathily, cheeks flaming a darker red as he stood back up straight. “Sounds awfully like her dad and sister.” 

Levi scoffed, stepping into his boots while Eren turned to walk down the snow covered steps. He bit his bottom lip in thought while Levi closed the door behind him; locking up and following Eren down the walkway and to the car, where he quickly opened the door for the older man. Partly for being a gentleman and partly because he wanted another good look at Levi in those tight jeans. It was a notion that did not go unnoticed, Eren realised as the smallest of smiles pulled at the older man’s lips. 

He quickly got into the driver’s seat, closing the door and started the car to get the heat going. It was beyond freezing, their steamy breaths seen within the car. It felt nice though, being in an enclosed space with the man he liked so much. They hadn’t been this close in a long time. So much so, that Eren was able to catch a whiff of Levi’s delicious cologne, sending the younger man down a dangerous, lustful path. He wondered privately if Levi tasted as good as he smelled and looked. He glanced at Levi while hot air blasted within the car, unable to take his eyes off Levi even though the man was only lit by the street lamps.

It all just seemed so surreal at the moment. Levi in tight jeans, wearing the scarf he made for him, smelling heavenly by wearing a cologne Eren had grown so accustomed to. The fact that he was in Eren’s car in the first place. He had so easily agreed to whatever Eren had planned. It all meant so much and as the seconds kept ticking by, Eren couldn’t help but fall a little bit more in love. He almost wanted to admit it right there and then. Yell it out to him. Tell Levi all about how handsome and sexy he looked. Admit how madly in love he’s been all these years and- 

Levi raised his thin brows ever so slightly at the silence before breaking it. “Where are you taking me?” 

And back to earth Eren was once more.

Right. 

Dinner. 

He had two chairs booked at Menya Kisso. He couldn’t very well skip it and go straight to confession and dessert. He first had to butter up Levi and allow the man to at least enjoy his birthday. 

“You’ll see,” Eren answered with a mischievous smile, tearing his eyes away and driving off. 

It wasn’t too far away. Closer to Levi’s house than what the park and shopping mall was. Situated in a small U shaped outdoor complex filled with eateries of all cultures. From Thai, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. Eren had never known of such a place and after coming here earlier in the week to book two seats, he was excited to try each and every one with Levi. 

The windows were littered with Christmas lights and decorations. Tinsel lined the window sills that looked into steamy restaurants. The car park was heaving, people dressed up for a cold night out, some carrying bags of presents.

“Menya Kisso?” Levi asked quietly, turning to look at Eren. “How’d you know of this place?” 

“A little birdie may have slipped it out,” Eren admitted. 

“Good. They lead you to the best fucking ramen in Trost,” Levi said, unbuckling himself and climbing out once Eren had parked up. “So, which one was it?” 

Eren shrugged, shivering as he locked up and walked alongside the shorter man. “Both, perhaps? I don’t know, but I think our daughters have definitely set this up.”

“Heh, no shit?”

“Ridiculous, right?” 

“Hm. Got to hand it to them, they chose the right food.”

“I’ll trust you in that. My experience in ramen goes as far as the food court and the stuff you find in the grocery store.”

“Prepare for a mouth orgasm then, Yeager. This shit in here is the best you’ll find.” 

The restaurant was packed. Rectangular tables were filled with people, as were the bar front that sectioned off the kitchen. Two red seats weren’t taken at the wrap around counter though, having a reserved sign plastered on them. They were quickly seated and handed menus. Although, Eren didn’t have much choice in what he wanted as Levi picked everything, from the tonkotsu chashu, right to the small bottle of sake and chicken karaage on the side. 

Levi had been right. He most definitely had an orgasm from all the delicious, umami flavours exploding within his mouth. His taste buds had never experienced such a wiltrip. From the bone soup to delicate handmade ramen. The perfectly cooked pork belly. The spicy, crispy karaage to the sweet, fruity burn of sake down his throat. 

It’d been so lovely and easy to lose the track of time. To slowly inch closer to Levi’s heat, until their thighs pressed against one another, their elbows knocking every few shifts. To listen earnestly at all the stories Levi told about coming here with Mikasa and Kenny. Eren couldn’t help feel a new kind of longing during that moment as he leaned on his elbow, watching Levi talk the most than he'd ever done before. An ache to know whether he and Levi too can make similar memories. This being the very first in the long list of many to come.

However, he couldn’t let the night go on for too long. There was still another place he had planned to go. One that included tea and Christmas lights and potentially, if he could get Levi to agree, an open ferris wheel ride. 

After paying for their meals - which Eren basically had to race to do, it was his treat, after all - they trudged back into the car. 

“Where to next?” Levi asked when Eren was not driving back the way to Levi’s home. 

Eren didn’t give him an answer, instead he drove through slushy snow and onwards to the car filled streets close to the Christmas park. 

“Oh fuck no,” Levi groused once he realised they were parking. “It’s balls ass cold out there.” 

“For a little while,” Eren said. “Please?” He tried to pull the best puppy-dog face he could, with a pouty bottom lip and all.

Levi crossed his arms at Eren’s pleading, twisting his head to look at the younger man suspiciously. “Why?” 

“We need at least a little bit of Christmas cheer on your day,” Eren answered, smiling as dazzling as he could, waiting patiently with eyes practically begging at Levi.

Eventually Levi sighed, a gloved hand picking up the navy blue scarf. “Half an hour,” Levi negotiated, a finger coming up to point at Eren. “No longer than that.”

Eren laughed, opening the door and hopping out into the freezing night air. Levi followed begrudgingly before falling in line with the younger man. 

There weren’t nearly as many people there as expected, which Eren was grateful for. Considering it was Christmas evening and most people were rugged up inside, it may have been the best idea yet. He’d never been there with it as quiet. Usually it’d be a few days before Christmas, when kids were screaming and laughing, parents fretting over everything and the queues for the food and drink stands long and winding. 

They passed over a lit archway, following the long path through the park filled with Christmas lights and scenes. From houses to Santa’s cove. To reindeer running, to candy cane lanes and large Christmas trees. Carols could be heard in the distance, exciting Eren the closer they got to the warm food and amusement ride area. 

Their breaths fanned in front of them, Eren daring to walk just a little closer to Levi for warmth. Levi’s hands were dug deep into his jacket, his head buried into the thick scarf. Clearly Levi wasn’t fond of the cold, but Eren loved it. Almost wanted to reach out and wrap an arm around the shorter man. But that’d look weird and they wouldn’t be able to walk properly with their height difference. So, Eren waited a bit longer, knowing very well the time would come soon. 

He had it all planned out. Once they reached the food carts, Eren would buy Levi the peppermint tea with milk. They’d drink their beverages and Eren would coax him onto the ferris wheel where he’d romantically confess. Maybe steal a kiss, if he was brave enough. 

The idea seemed dreamy in his mind. So romantic that it was worthy of being in a cliche Christmas film. Realistically though, the cold made it anything but. Levi was right, it was too cold to do much other than shiver the entire walk long. 

At least the drinks were delicious and warm, Eren going for a hot chocolate filled with mini marshmallows. Levi had raised his eyebrows in surprise when he was handed his own drink. Eren had smiled behind his paper cup, not giving any of his secrets away as Levi asked him how he knew. 

Once Eren dragged him towards the open ferris wheel, that’s when things turned a little for the worse. 

“Are you kidding me?” Levi said incredulously. “Like hell you’re getting me on that thing.” 

“Come on, Levi. Imagine the view from it.” 

“I’d rather not freeze my ass off anymore than necessary. The wind chill up there is going to give us frostbite.” 

“No it won’t,” Eren argued. “Please? The ride is only fifteen minutes.” 

“We’ll break it.” 

“No we won’t. We’re not _that_ heavy. It’s made for adults too,” Eren reassured, nodding to a few seats taken by elderly. “It’s an adventure?”

It took watching a round of people on the ferris wheel before Levi begrudgingly agreed, warning Eren that he was only going to go on once. 

When it was their turn, they squashed together onto one seat. Their thighs tightly pressed against each other, and Levi’s shoulder digging into Eren’s upper arm as the metal guard swung over their heads and locked them in at waist level. 

It started off romantic. Eren had spent the first few minutes in awe. The ride was breathtaking as they overlooked the beautiful winter wonderland park and the suburbs below. Lights twinkled from beneath their dangling legs and feet. So many houses ahead were decked out in Christmas colours. Even though the smoke from chimneys created the slightest smog, the night was still crisp, the sky a bit brighter due to all the snow on the ground. The pace was slower than expected, allowing whoever at the top a minute to take it all in. Slowly as they started to reach the top, Eren remembered that he had something he needed to confess. It’s what he wanted. At the very top, once they stopped, Eren was going to start talking. He was ready for it, ready to just blurt it all out, everything he’s ever felt, no matter how anxiety spiked in his chest. 

He had spent all week working himself up to this. Hours he had found himself in front of the mirror, practicing what he was going to say to Levi. Days he allowed the sentences and words to consume him, anxiety, nervousness and excitement all tackling him at once. He had been doing such a good job all evening. After being so restless all morning and afternoon, the courage he had found thus far was beyond astounding. He gathered that it was because it was so easy to be with Levi. Their time in the restaurant and walking through the park had been fun and relaxing. Constantly his heart had glowed, warming him to his core, making him yearn for more. For a hand to hold as they strolled, for a stolen kiss he was so desperately wanting. He’d been so lost in the amount of fun they were having, the anxiety never came about. Until now. As they slowly crawled further ahead. 

He wiped his gloved hands over his thighs, gripping his knees in nausea. It was just Levi, he knew. And according to Ymir, it was all going to work out well in the end. Even if he made a fool out of himself. The faster the seconds ticked on, the more he talked himself into it. 

It was now or never. 

“Hey uhm Le-” Eren started quietly, eyes still gazed out into the distance. 

But of course, as luck would have it, the ferris wheel stopped abruptly, jolting everyone on board. There were a few yells and gasps around them, but aside from that, everyone sat quietly. 

“I fucking knew it,” Levi grumbled, shooting a look of annoyance at Eren. “We’re too heavy.” 

“Don’t worry, it happens all the time,” Eren reassured, waving his gloved hand in front of himself. 

They waited for a long time before a message got megaphoned to them to wait while the maintenance team arrived. Because as Levi just _had_ to go and jinx it, the ferris wheel did in fact break.

On any other occasion, Eren would’ve thought it was really unlucky. But for him, this was probably fate giving him the greatest chance of a lifetime. A window in which to confess, to bring their friendship to something more. 

Yet, Eren didn’t know exactly where to start. Was he meant to at the beginning? Was he meant to just come out right with it? He ended up sitting there quietly, pondering on where to begin. Mother nature must have been on his side because soon enough little flurries of snow started dropping, making Levi curse under his breath. 

Eren felt the same. Now they were going to be wet along with cold. Still, it gave him an idea. Shimming his arm from under the metal bar, he wrapped it to the back, tapping Levi on his far shoulder. 

“Do you mind if I?” he asked nervously, twisting his face towards the man. 

Levi looked up at him, as if calculating. “No,” he answered quietly, shrugging his shoulders. 

Eren smiled, wrapping his arm around Levi. Another step closer. Another moment in which he’d never forget. The way his heart sped up, the way his hands grew clammy inside the woolen gloves. The way his breath was shaky from nerves, and the way he slowly inched his head lower towards Levi. 

Up until a cheek found his crown. Levi had jumped the tiniest bit from the action, but said nothing. If anything, he seemed to have leaned in more towards Eren, causing the younger man to smile a little. The silver hair was wet and cold underneath his skin. But it smelled heavenly. Of shampoo he didn’t know but would soon grow to love and call home. Of a cologne he was desperately addicted to and a scent that was uniquely Levi and only strived for him to shudder in want. 

Eren dared to twist his head a touch, wind chilled lips finding soft locks. Velvety smooth under chapped redness. Eren breathed, daring to take a deeper sniff. His heart on fire, aching and yearning for more and more. For Levi to wrap an arm around him too. For Levi to tilt his head up, press soft lips against his jaw. To mouth his name against skin. 

His eyes slipped shut, relishing in Levi’s warmth and in his hard body against him. It’d been so long since he’d felt another beside him. Been so long that he dreamed of being in such a position. To say the words that were on the tip of his tongue all these years. Hope deep within his heart, despite the endless uncertainty. He gripped Levi’s shoulder, lips going in to lightly kiss at his scalp, lips opening and mouthing words he practiced all week long. 

“I like you,” he mouthed against hair covered skin. Again and again. Louder and louder. Up until it was a quiet whisper, just above the wind and echoes of people talking down below. 

“I know,” Levi answered, bringing Eren back to reality. Green eyes flicked open abruptly, his body stiffening at the unexpected reply. 

“You.” Eren swallowed thickly. “You do?” 

“Since we met.” 

Furrowing his brows, Eren rested his cheek further onto Levi’s head. “But you never said anything.” 

“I-Yeah,” Levi answered, pursing his lips and shrugging ever so slightly. 

“Even when I started to come on stronger?” Eren asked quietly, his chest clenching as he allowed more words to slip from his mouth. “Do you not feel the same way?” 

A moment of silence overcame them, Eren’s heart beating loudly within his ears as he anticipated the truth. 

“I-” Levi said. “I do-” Levi paused, cursing under his breath, his body shivering, whether from the cold or something else, the young man couldn’t tell. His heart hammered within his chest and he waited with bated breath for Levi to continue. “Fuck Eren, I can’t think of a life without you in it.”

Eren gasped at the confession, immense relief flooding his body. In less than a minute all his anxiety and worries slipped away, leaving him so full and so warm. He pressed his lips together, kissing Levi’s head lighty and reached his free hand in search of Levi’s own gloved one. The older man turned it palm up, allowing Eren to thread their fingers, Levi’s small hand fitting like a puzzle piece. 

It felt like it’d been almost half a lifetime that Eren had wanted this. And now he had it. Had all his hopes and dreams fulfilled, even though it had taken so long. But why? Why did it? Why did Levi never tell him this before? If Eren was so obvious in his crush that everyone around him knew, then why did the man never come forth to him about it? Why did Ymir tell him that Levi was waiting for him instead? Why did Levi wait and only told him the truth now?

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” Eren asked quietly. “We could’ve been together for years by now.”

“You weren’t ready,” Levi replied, fingers gripping harder.

“Then what makes today so special? I was ready yesterday; no, a year ago. God, Levi. _Years_ ago.” 

“You may be _now,_ but you weren’t before. I know what it's like, Eren. To be a single dad and wanting the best for your kid. It was best to wait.” 

“But there’s so many single parents out there that date,” Eren replied. “It would’ve been fine. You practically took care of Ymir at school half of the time and-”

“Yet you never confessed or seeked more until she ended high school. Why? It’s clear as day,” Levi interrupted, his tone sharp. 

“Because-” Eren paused, realising that Levi was right. He wasn’t ready back then. He didn’t want someone to enter his and Ymir’s life. He never dated all those years when she was growing up; too afraid of what damage it could do to her seeing how many men would enter and leave. “Shit.” Eren cursed. 

Even though Levi was always a constant, a crush Eren never got rid of, and a man who very much became a safehold for Ymir at school, and to how Levi’s family slowly snaked into their lives. Eren unconsciously knew it wasn’t time yet. Probably would’ve waited until Ymir left home before he’d actually get his ass into gear. He’d built such a safe haven, that he didn’t fully want to leave, even if it meant never getting together with Levi but staying in the safety of friends. 

How cruel of him, he thought. To have strung Levi along. Sure, the man could’ve left at any time, but he didn’t. Maybe his love was too strong to quench. As strong as Eren’s. Happy enough to be in a strong friendship, whilst yearning so painfully on the inside for so long. 

“I’m sorry,” Eren whispered, pressing another kiss to Levi’s hair. 

Levi shifted aside, head turning up to meet Eren’s gaze. “I’ve been waiting for you, Eren. To say it was time to move things forward. I waited because I didn’t want you to decide on something you’d regret later down the road. I needed you to make sure of how you felt.”

“As if it wasn’t obvious enough for the past year,” Eren quickly replied, chuckling breathlessly. 

Levi smiled a little, his cheeks and nose red from the cold, his lips swollen for all the wrong reasons. He looked so utterly beautiful, it timelessly blew Eren’s breath away. Such a patient man as always. It filled Eren’s heart so much. To know how lucky he was to have fallen for a man that cared in so many ways, even if it never showed. To know Levi has waited this long, Eren couldn’t even fathom of where to begin his thank yous. Didn’t know how he’d ever repay the favour.

“Thank you,” Eren said earnestly, trying to express his thankfulness.

Levi nodded, his eyelids heavy, grey eyes never leaving Eren’s. Eren released a shuddering breath, green orbs flicking to bright red lips. He licked his lips unconsciously, swallowing before looking back up. “May I kiss you?”

“Fuck, didn’t think you’d ever ask.” 

Eren leaned down, meeting Levi halfway tentatively. Their lips touched gently, soft skin chilled at first touch. Chapped and lightly grazing. Neither dared to pull back, rather Eren tilted his head, pushing in deeper, lips slotting in perfectly. His brain swam in dizzying circles, his body bursting in flames. 

Oh, how he’s dreamed endlessly of this moment. Of where their lips touched, of where a sweet, gentle, tentative kiss would grow powerful. Of where love would be confessed to one another, driving home the point of how much Eren has wanted this. Has wanted more of Levi. Physically, emotionally, wholly. He wanted every bit of him. Showed him exactly that as he cupped the back of the man’s neck, bringing them impossibly closer. 

Their innocent kiss didn’t stay long, for it grew hungry as Levi slipped his mouth open, a warm, wet tongue asking for entrance. Eren showed no qualms of saying no, gasping as Levi went to cup his jaw, crushing their noses together as heat grew between them. Saliva and wetness mixed, inexperience from Eren’s part came to the forefront. It’d been so long since he’d have such contact, his body was on fire. His stomach heavy and tumbling, his pants growing tighter than he’d ever imagine they’d be. He felt like he was a young teenager once more. Making out with a person he thought would mean forever. Experiencing a first kiss all over again, lust boiling his blood, urging him to twist his body to get closer and closer, hips rocking forward, a deep moan escaping his throat, whispers of Levi’s name on his tongue between intakes of panting breaths. 

If it wasn’t for the sudden jolt of the ferris wheel, they would’ve continued to make out for hours. It may have had a messy result, Eren’s pants so tight he didn’t even know what to do about it. He had half the mind to cover his obvious bulge with a jacket, ashamed to show Levi how turned on he got from a simple passionate kiss. They pulled away from each other once the wheel started to move, out of breath and steam thickly coming from their mouth due to the bitter cold.

Eren was the first to break the silence, an embarrassing giggle escaping as he went on to bite his lower lip. Levi chuckled, eyelids heavy and eyes filled with hunger. A look that Eren often wondered if he’d ever see it. And now he did and it was driving him up the wall, making his cock twitch, knowing it was all just because of him. 

“Want to get out of here?” Eren asked, his voice husky. “When we get off.” 

“Fuck, we better,” Levi replied, hand coming up to run through his wet hair. “My house?” 

Eren nodded, already lifting the metal bar when they got close to the landing. They jogged back to the car as fast as they could, with the snow picking up heavily around them. Their pants were wet and their hair just as bad. Fingers cold, feet frozen, but their hearts glowed with warmth. They stole another kiss once inside the car, Eren smiling against Levi’s lips at feeling so alive.

So free.

So young. 

Like he could conquer the world all over again with Levi by his side. 

Like there was this mutual agreement that from here on out, they’d be together. That nothing was ever going to drive them apart. That everything was going to work out, as slowly or as quickly as they’d like it to be. 

He hoped so. He prayed to whatever God was out there to give him this chance of happiness and to ride the train of euphoria. 

He drove carefully back to Levi’s and parked in the driveway. He lightly wondered how many more times he’d do so before they’d move things further ahead. He didn’t get too much time to think as Levi practically dragged him to the front door, opened it swiftly and shoved Eren straight in before slamming it shut and pushing him up against the wall. 

The younger man was about to ask what’s going on, but was silenced as Levi grabbed the back of his neck, sending Eren forward as their lips crashed together hard in a frenzied kiss. Eren gasped into Levi’s mouth, the older man taking it as an invitation to slip in a tongue. 

Levi’s urgency came as a pleasant surprise. It warmed his very being knowing that the older man probably had wanted this for a very long time too. Had craved and yearned as much for Eren as he did for Levi. Wanted to taste lips and tongues, feel parts of the body that were forbidden as friends. That thought had Eren pulling off his gloves, dropping them carelessly to search for the buttons of Levi’s jacket. He hastily undid them, fingers shaking in excitement before his icy fingertips felt for the hem of Levi’s jersey. 

Eren smiled mischievously into the kiss as Levi tilted his head, both of them swaying a little in their unbalanced stance. Levi on his tippy toes, Eren’s back already screaming at him for leaning at an odd angle. He paid it no mind, his interests rather set on slipping fingers underneath the jersey, pulling out the tucked-in shirt and sliding frozen fingers up and up and up until they found what he was looking for. He hummed appreciatively at soft and deliciously warm skin. Levi gasped at the sudden contact, breaking the kiss and falling back on his feet; forcing Eren to trip forward,and bang his forehead straight into Levi’s shoulder. If it wasn’t for Levi’s strength, they’d both have landed on their asses. 

“Jesus,” Levi cursed hoarsely. 

“Sorry,” Eren chuckled apologetically, cheeks beginning to burn from embarrassment. “I couldn’t help it, I-”

“Enough,” Levi interrupted, grabbing Eren by the shoulders and righting him. “Shitty place to be making out anyway. Let’s get out of these and into my room.” 

Eren wasted no time, undoing his shoes and shrugging off his jacket and winter wear with a hazy, lustful mind. His eyes constantly sneaked back to Levi, his stomach fluttering as the man bent double to undo his shoes, the skin of his lower back poking through. He had a hold himself back from wanting to reach out. 

He followed Levi up the stairs, down the lit hallway and into a bedroom. A beautiful, modern and tidy room with lush grey carpets, a tall bed with black covers, bedside tables, war- Eren sucked in a breath of surprise, finding Levi’s arms wrapped around him, his body pressed flush against Eren’s back and cold hands slipping into his sweatshirt. 

“So,” Levi murmured from behind him. “Are you going to judge my room all night or are we going to fuck?” 

Eren bit his bottom lip at those words, his body shuddering at the question. Gods, did he desperately want Levi. All of him. Naked and hard, skin flush against his own, cock buried deep in places that hadn’t been filled in years. Places in which he thought of so many times, aching to know how good Levi would fuck him. How long they’d go until his insides were coated and marked. 

But- 

But it’d been too long. He wasn’t in his top form anymore; his body aged, his experience non existent. He wouldn’t last a minute. Nor did he think he could go all the way just yet. He wanted to take his time with Levi for now. Explore everything first and maybe later, with romantic candles and a dark room with wine warm in their bellies. Eren’s cheeks warmed at the thought, deciding it’d be best to be honest about his inexperience. 

“I-” Eren started, feeling a little nervous for what he was about to admit. “I haven’t slept with anybody in over ten years.” 

“And you think I have?” 

Eren twisted around, Levi letting go of him and looking up to meet his eyes. “Honestly yes. Levi, you’re so fucking hot. How could you not have?” 

Levi snorted, shaking his head in disbelief, “Speak for yourself. How has nobody wanted a piece of your tight ass is beyond me.” Eren blushed further from Levi’s compliment. “An ass I’ve wanted to devour for years,” he continued, eyelids hooded, his expression simply ravishing. He stepped forward, hands circling to cup Eren’s round mounds so he could press their bodies flush together. Craning his head up, Levi murmured darkly, “A cock I’ve envisioned for too long. Your slacks leave nothing to the imagination, Yeager.” 

Eren whimpered, Levi bucking his body forward, his lower stomach rubbing against the younger man’s obvious bulge. Eren bent down, wanting to meet the older man’s lips for another passionate kiss but Levi pulled away just before he could, huffing against his wet lips. 

“We don’t have to go all the way tonight.” 

“What did you have in mind then?” Eren whispered, chasing after Levi’s lips. 

“Go sit on the bed.” 

_‘Oh, oh, oh. Did that mean?’_ Eren’s mind frazzled. Was he going to get a blowjob? That just wouldn’t do. Not on Levi’s birthday. It was the man’s special day, if anyone was going to receive a blowjob, it’d be him. 

Eren shook his head, a small smile on his lips. “It’s _your_ birthday, I should be the one treating you.” 

“Think of yourself as my gift then. ‘Cause fuck, I don’t know about you, but there sure as hell ain’t no better gift than free rein over your cock,” Levi said, “And body,” he added as an afterthought. 

Not putting up much of a fight, Eren did as he was instructed; sitting on the edge of the bed and planting his feet flat on the soft carpet. Levi leaned forward, thin fingers threading through Eren’s short brown hair. The tips massaged at his scalp, Eren humming within his chest, eyes slipping closed. He delightedly felt soft lips again, but not for long before they travelled to his jaw, lips ghosting over smooth skin and down to his pulse, receiving a gentle kiss. And another, another, until suddenly Eren inhaled deeply, feeling the wetness of Levi’s warm tongue and lips. His body shivered, skin covered in goosebumps as the older man started sucking and biting. 

Eren spread his legs wider, hands seeking out Levi’s hips to bring him closer. His mind swam in dizzy circles as he was eaten alive. He moaned at a particular hard suck, smiling at the giddy feeling of having hickies. Of being young again and showing off his lover proudly on his neck. The thought didn’t last long before lips nibbled at his earlobe and slowly moved lower, hands leaving his hair and slipping down to his shirt. 

“Off,” Levi mumbled. Eren flickered his eyes open, finding the older man’s face a few inches away and a startlingly shade of red. A beautiful, enticing look, with hooded eyes and wet lips. Eren licked his own, doing what Levi asked and pulled off his sweatshirt and long sleeve shirt at once. 

Grey eyes flickered downwards, taking in Eren’s naked torso and ashamedly ever-growing belly. Blushing under Levi’s scrutiny, Eren did the same, tugging at the jersey. Levi copied his actions, but while doing so, the younger man also tugged at the belt and started to undo it. The older man was unbuttoning his shirt, Eren doing the same for the button on Levi’s jeans and slowly pulled the zipper down, green eyes curiously looking up for both consent and interest in the slowly revealing pale skin. 

He’d always daydreamed about what Levi looked like underneath clothes. He was such a stocky and wide man for someone his height. And as the shirt fell to the ground, Eren wasn’t disappointed in the least. He was met with dark grey hair littered over a broad chest and the soft pink nipples. Licking his lips once more, Eren let go of the pants, snaking his hands gently over Levi’s stomach, index fingers running along faint V lines, thumbs ghosting over dark grey hairs beneath his belly button. Up and up they went along the sides of the softest skin Eren had ever felt. All until thumbs found those perky nipples that taunted him, dared him to lean in and have a taste. And what a feast he had. Nibbling, sucking, and biting, all until they both were hard and raw. The skin on Levi’s chest was splotchy red, his breathing laboured as he groaned Eren’s name, cursing lowly as the younger man left deep red, almost purple marks on his chest. The sound was so heavenly, Eren did again and again, a free hand sneaking down to where it once was, fingers dipping underneath black briefs and through a thick bush until he found what he was looking for. 

“Fuck, Eren,” Levi huffed, body bucking as Eren ran fingers along a half hard cock - not yet at full must, but challenging him to make Levi reach it. 

He dug his hand in deeper, fingers gently running alongside Levi’s velvety, burning cock, before peeling himself away from the nipple he’d been devouring. He wanted to sneak a peek at the dick he’s always dreamed off, and wrap a hand around it to bring Levi to full hardness. 

“Oi, didn’t I tell you that _I_ was going to be treating _you_ tonight?” Levi said, distracting him before he could pull the older man’s cock out from his briefs. Eren frowned deeply, almost pouting as he looked up to find Levi smirking at him. “If you’re good and let me suck you off, you might get a taste as a reward.” 

“So mean,” Eren whined, a clear pout on his face now. “What if I wanted to taste and feel you now?”

“Not yet,” Levi answered, guiding Eren’s hand out of his briefs and slipping down to his knees and between Eren’s thighs. “I’ve been parched for too long.” 

“Yeah?” Eren encouraged, hands coming to rest on the soft bedding. 

Levi unbuttoned his jeans, grey starved eyes flicking up towards Eren, “I need to quench my thirst.” 

_‘Oh god_ ,’ Eren thought. Blushing as Levi unzipped him, fingers diving straight in to rub at the very obvious outline of his hard cock. He sucked his bottom lip, noticing the smallest of smiles on Levi’s face as he brought him out, a satisfied hum coming from the man. 

Mesmerized, Eren couldn’t stop watching as the man wrapped a hand around his feverish dick, slowly pulling down the foreskin, wanking him lightly as possible. Eren got lost in the sensation. The feeling of Levi’s hand around him. How his stomach twisted and turned, how he wanted to buck his hips, encourage Levi to pump him harder, faster. Anything but the slow pace he was going. He moaned when Levi humoured him, his grip tightening every time when his hand pumped upwards, driving Eren insane. His eyes slipped close, head falling back as he drowned in pleasure. 

“Ah- Levi,” he whimpered, arching his back when the man slowed down again, gripping him hard at the base. Eren was about to complain but the sentence died in his throat when an entire different sensation took over

A wet, warm lick of a tongue, right under the tip, slipping up and up, until the tongue was flush against his slit.

“Shit, Levi,” Eren huffed. Rocking his hips, seeking more. And more he was given more as Levi swallowed him whole. The younger man shot forward, hands flying into dark silver strands, finding purchase as Levi kept going and going until he bottomed out, nose pressed into brown wiry hairs. “Fucking hell.” 

Eren watched, shaking his head in amazement. Overwhelmed at the immense heat and wetness and just how good the older man looked when he pulled back. Cheeks hollowed and still red as ever, eyes heavy, along with a devilish smirk written all over his face. “Gods, Levi. You’re so sexy.” 

He lowered again, green eyes undecided between watching his cock disappear behind those red, swollen lips, or those deep grey eyes that held him into place, filled with so much hunger and want. He settled for everything, his mind going crazy. Gasping as Levi bobbed his head, setting a slow pace, going faster each time he reached the top. 

“Holy shit, how are you so good at this?” Eren cried out hoarsely. All he got was a tight palm wanking half of his cock, Levi sucking at the feverish tip, using his lips to maneuver his foreskin, up and over, and back down again. 

Eren gripped at the short hairs, slowly using his hands to get Levi to move faster. At the pace Levi was going, he didn’t think he’d last long. It’d been too long since he'd felt such heat. Something so smooth and soft, and so fast and flexible. The way Levi toyed with him, knew exactly where to lick no thanks to his incoherent mewls. Eren didn’t want it to end just yet - they’d only begun. It’d be embarrassing, no matter how fucking good it felt. No matter how heavy his balls grew, how much he rocked his hips, seeking that release. 

“Nggh, ahhh- Le-Levi,” Eren moaned. “I’m gon-na come if you-” he gasped.

Levi pulled back, lips snuggled against his tip. Mischievous, hungry eyes met Eren’s barely open one.

“That’d be a shame,” Levi mouthed against his sensitive tip, tongue darting out to lick again. 

Eren bit his lip harder, no longer being able to take how ridiculously hot Levi looked with his cock in his mouth. He bent double, a hand cupping the older man’s jaw to guide him up until they met once more, tasting himself on Levi’s lips. Eren groaned deeply, Levi getting the message by slowly getting up from his knees and taking a bit of tumble as he did. The younger man chuckled against his lips, pulling the shorter man towards him as he went down onto his back, all until their bodies were flush with Levi’s hard bulge right against his. 

“Shit,” they hissed in tandem. Eren more so as the rough fabric of Levi’s briefs rubbed at him. 

Eren didn’t waste any time, a hand going down and slipping past the elastic, body shuddering once he found a hard, leaking cock. He pulled it out, Levi humming deeply within his throat, eyes slipping closed as Eren tugged it, relishing in the way his foreskin moved, the way the top of his palm and thumb got coated in precome, how velvety smooth and unbearably hot and heavy it felt within his hand. 

“Eren,” Levi sighed. The younger man replied with a hum, his hand slowly jerking Levi. “How do you feel about thigh fucking?” 

“I’ve never tried,” Eren replied honestly. 

“Good,” Levi chuckled breathlessly. “You’re about to get your mind fucking blown”

“How-how do you-” Eren asked, heavy eyes seeking instruction on how to go about this. His mind was hazy, barely able to think properly. 

“Take your pants off and turn around,” Levi instructed, pushing himself up and off the bed with cock hanging out of his briefs. 

Eren’s heart zinged, his chest yearning at the sight. Levi must've noticed as his pale hand wrapped around the hard cock, pumping it a few times for Eren to see. He licked his lips, leaving no room for Levi to protest as he leaned forward, lips wrapping around a delicious precome covered tip. It had tasted so good, so salty and so much of Levi, along with the notion of finally- finally he had the chance. The first of many that will follow. 

“Oi,” Levi protested, a sweaty hand running through his soft short hair. “Bend over for me, Yeager.” 

Eren whined, pulling back as Levi pushed him, a teasing frown on his face as he did as asked. He wiggled out of his boxers and jeans, getting rid of them completely and tossing them aside. He turned around uncertain, laying on his stomach with ass in the air and his legs hanging off the bed, knees nearly touching the carpet whilst he used his toes to stay up. He wanted to rut against the duvet, enjoying the feeling of something rough against his throbbing cock, but he didn’t, knowing Levi probably had better things waiting for him. Once settled, he twisted his head in question, about to ask what’s next. 

“Keep your legs closed,” Levi said, side stepping and digging into a bedside table for what seemed to be lube. Eren watched as the older man squirted it into his palms, rubbing it until warm and coating his cock. 

Eren hummed, his back arched as he kept his torso twisted, leaning on his elbows as he watched Levi’s languid pumping. His bottom lip fell when the man god closer, excitement rolling in his belly, curious to know what Levi had meant about thigh fucking. 

Only, his answer wasn’t quite answered yet as Levi gripped one of his cheeks, the slippery lube warm against it. 

“Shit,” Levi whispered, spreading it apart. “What a nice ass.” Eyes never leaving Eren’s tanned mound as he played with it and bucked his hips forward to run a slippery cock down the younger man’s crack. Eren inhaled sharply, whimpering, and rubbing his cock against the scratchy duvet for some relief. “I can’t wait to fuck you properly.” 

“S-soon,” Eren gritted, his voice spiking as he felt Levi’s hard cock run against his hole. “Gods, so fucking soon.” He almost wanted to call it quits, tell Levi to prepare him instead, spread him good and pound him hard against where it felt the best. But he knew that tonight wasn’t the night. Even if it was Levi’s birthday. They’d just have to do with -

He lost his track of thought as something slippery ran between his lightly closed thighs. 

“Shit,” Eren gasped, the tip of Levi’s cock running against his taint until it poked the underside of his balls. He gripped at the sheets, arching his back. “God, that feels _so_ fucking good.” 

Unusual and so foreign, yet good all the same. A sensation he’s never felt before. It was curious and exciting, and once wasn’t enough. He needed to feel it again. Wanted to feel that hard heat and oily goodness slip against his inner thighs, and up against a sensitive spot he’d never known about.

“Heh,” Levi said, pulling back slowly and thrusting in once more. “Good.” 

“Hm-more,” Eren murmured, Levi grunting behind him. 

He kept going at a slow pace, the feeling so unusual and yet so good for Eren. The way Levi’s cock pushed at his balls, almost surpassing them. The way ticklish hair and soft, sweaty skin rubbed at his ass. The intimacy of being so close to the one he’s loved for so long. To have their bodies connected in some way, to feel the want Levi’s had for him as the man bucked continuously, each time more powerful and faster. 

Each time Eren would cry Levi’s name, the older man gritting his teeth, Eren’s own whispered through laboured breathing. Eren got lost in the sensation, his back begging him to lay down properly, which he did. Falling onto his stomach, gripping the sheets by his side turned head. 

Sweat began coating his skin, his hips moving, rutting against the covers, seeking more and more friction for his throbbing, desperate cock. His movements went in tandem with Levi’s, moaning loudly as the fabric rubbed against him. He relished in the feeling as Levi leaned down, his hard chest touching the younger man’s back, strong arms either side of him. 

“Fuck,” Levi swallowed. “You feel so good. You’ve got the most fuckable thighs.” He bent further, biting at Eren’s shoulder. The younger man gasped, his body shuddering, his cock twitching and pulsing, begging for more than just rough fabric. 

“Ohhh, Levi,” he moaned, lifting his hips, hand slipping down between them. 

“No,” Levi groused, slapping Eren’s hand away. Eren whined, the sound dying as a small hand wrapped around him instead. 

“Oh Gods,” Eren cried hoarsely, his body bursting alight as Levi began pumping him, knowing full well he was making a mess of the man’s hand and covers. “Just like that, ohhh-” 

The pace wasn’t synchronized, but it was overwhelming and it was quickly bringing Eren over the edge. He didn’t think he could last much longer. Not with the way Levi gripped him, rolling the skin over his tip. Not with the thought of Levi hard and ravaging, all because of him. Not as hardness slipped against his taint, and the thought that he was so close, skin slapping against skin, Levi’s humid mouth biting his skin, leaving marks he’s going to wear for days. 

“Cl-close,” Eren wheezed between gritted teeth, hips moving to meet Levi’s. “I’m so fucking close!” he cried, eyes scrunching shut as he felt the tell-tale heat coiling, the heaviness in his gut and balls. “Pl-ease, Levi!” 

“Come for me,” Levi choked out hoarsely, hand tugging hurriedly, 

And lords, did Eren. His body quaked, his hips stuttering as his orgasm took over. His mind swam in dizzying circles, sparks flying behind scrunched eyes; a teacup ride he never wanted to get off. Not as Levi continued to pound him, words of encouragement echoing faintly in his ear. Of how good he was, of how much Levi has wanted to fuck him, dreamed of bringing him to the edge on so many nights. 

Eren felt boneless and bare, his body exhausted, his lips pulled to a faint smile as Levi kept going. He pushed up to his shaky, weak elbows, twisting around as best as he could to see the sight; the moment Levi would shudder behind him in ecstasy. But the man kept going, his face contorting, his brows low, his eyes dark. Eren couldn’t help arch back further, arm coming around to pull Levi into a kiss, the older man sucking in a breath at the contact, moaning into Eren’s mouth as he came to his end. His hips slammed forward one last time, Eren kissing him through it greedily, their noses bumping against one another, and feeling Levi’s come squirt against his balls and down his thighs. 

Levi pulled back, panting like mad; his chest heaving, and skin humid and sticky between them. Eren swallowed dryly, his own breathing out of control. He fell back down, face planting into the soft bedding. Levi followed suit, falling next to Eren on his back, rejoicing in the shared moment of passion. 

Minutes of silence ticked away, their breaths the only sound within the room. Eren turned his head, watching Levi as they calmed down. His hair still wet, sweat having gathered by his hairline, his cheeks the sweetest red, his lips so swollen and kissable. Eren’s heart longed at the sight, the after glow of sex making him want to be closer. To go in for another kiss. To show Levi how much he loves and appreciates him. How good their night of passion felt and how grateful he was for everything the man had done for him. Levi watched him curiously, allowing Eren to close the space, lips meeting softly, their bodies exhausted. Their lips moved against one another perfectly, happiness bursting within Eren’s chest. 

Levi was his. 

_Forever,_ he hoped. No matter the struggles that’d come ahead of them. No matter the roadblocks. He felt so joyous and relieved, his orgasm being the tipping point. He knew full well that life couldn’t get any better than this. He could easily lay there for years to come, kissing Levi slowly, tasting himself on his lips, feeling soft skin and fine hairs under his sweaty fingertips as he ran a hand up and down Levi’s chest. Brimming with love how Levi’s heart hammered underneath them too. 

Lost in a moment he could happily live in forever. 

A moment he wanted to memorise for the rest of his life.

Until…

Until the world shattered around him, breaking them from the peaceful afterglow. 

The bed jolted suddenly, something heavy jumping right above their heads. 

“Jesus!”

“Fucking wha-”

They both yelled, pulling apart, Levi sitting straight up as an arrow while Eren’s head flew up in search of what scared them. Now if only it’d been something drastic, but thankfully all that could be found was a chubby black cat with curious bright yellow eyes.

“Fucking hell, Nannah,” Levi grumbled, his voice hoarse and dry. “Way to ruin a mood.” 

She settled herself down on her butt, eyes lurking toward Levi as he spoke, his hand reaching to rub at her fluffy forehead

Eren chuckled in amusement and relief. He was about to get up until he felt the damp covers against his hips and the slowly drying trickles of come down his inner thighs. Pausing and biting his bottom lip at knowing full well that Levi did not like messes, he quickly apologised. 

“I’m sorry.”

Levi looked at him, brows furrowed in confusion as he scratched the underside of Savannah’s chin. “What for?” 

“I made a mess of your duvet,” Eren smiled apologetically, his already flaming cheeks daring to grow hotter. 

Levi shrugged. “I added to that mess. I’ll toss it into the wash later.”

“Are you sure?” Eren asked. Levi nodded, a small smile on his lips. 

Begrudgingly Eren stood on shaky legs and bent over to fish for his clothes, frowning upon finding them damp from their earlier date. Levi must’ve understood because as Nannah rolled onto her back for stomach scratches, Levi asked absently. 

“Do you want to stay the night?”

Eren lifted his head, looking at Levi in surprise and relief. He really didn’t want to go home. Not when covered in come and exhausted, and wanting to spend more time with Levi. Especially now after everything was said and done. 

“May I?” 

“I’d have to hold you hostage if you think you’re leaving anytime soon,” Levi replied, grey eyes sneaking down to Eren’s crotch and thighs and back up again. “How about a shower first? I’ll chuck the clothes in the wash.”

Eren beamed a large grin, so happy that Levi wanted him to stay the night. It seemed too good to be true, the thought of getting clean and warm, and snuggling in bed. It’d meant giving Levi the best birthday the man could have, up until even past it. That’d mean he could potentially cook the man breakfast in the morning too, and wake up with lazy kisses and scratchy stubble underneath fingers. He was getting lost in the daydream of it all until, of course, reality hit and he realised he had no change of clothes, and he doubted the older man would have anything that’d fit him.

“Ah, but,” Eren said somberly. “I don’t have anything to wear.” 

Levi stilled for a moment, his eyes large. Eren tilted his head in confusion until the man clicked his tongue and shook his head. He chuckled breathlessly, telling Eren to stay while he walked out of the room, completely naked. 

Eren did stay, highly confused with the situation until not a minute later Levi was back, a pair of track pants and a long sleeved shirt in his hands. They weren’t just any old pieces of clothing. No, in fact, they were a very, very familiar pair of clothes if anything. Eren squinted at the articles, eyeing them as he took them and allowed it to fall open. He could’ve _sworn_ they were his from home. 

Raising his thick brows in interest, Eren looked at Levi questionably. 

“It seems, you’re not the only one who had a birdie singing in his ear.” 

As if the lightbulb got switched on, Eren realised this had his daughter written all over it.

“Ymir,” Eren whispered, shaking his head in disbelief. “How cheeky of her.”

Levi shrugged, bending down to pick his clothes up too. “Get in the shower, I’ll join you after I put these in the wash. If you want, that is.”

“I’d love that,” Eren said, a smile on his face as Levi ushered him into the bathroom, leaving Eren to his own devices. 

Levi’s ensuite was warm with the tiles heated beneath his feet. He turned on the water, goosebumps coating his skin as the room got steamy and he climbed under the scalding water. He allowed the water to soak his hair, the stream running down his shoulders and past that. His smile lingering, his mind questioning just Levi had his clothes and how easily all of this fell into place. 

It was a curious thing - his lazing attire he normally wore at home being at Levi’s. It got him thinking. If Eren didn’t know any better, this entire date and birthday was planned unknowingly. That raised an even bigger question. Had Levi known? Maybe he knew something was going to happen but not in detail. Because Eren swore the look of surprise on Levi’s face when they had parked at Menya Kisso was real. There was no way he’d ever fake something like that. It was driving him crazy going in circles over those thoughts, but he figured he’d ask Levi how he got his clothes on a later time. For now, he wanted to rejoice in the afterglow of their night. 

Levi didn’t break his promise, for the tell-tale sign of steam leaving the shower door, to the hands that slowly ran up his back and around his waist, fingers drawing close to his spent cock. Eren turned around, bending down to kiss Levi gently. 

After they were done lathering each other up, hands discovering new places and sensitive spots, they got out. Levi having an extra towel just for him. It was fluffy and white, smelt of fresh linen and heavenly like the older man.

Once changing, he was looking for a pair of underwear, but lo and behold, there was none in the pile he had received. He figured as much. He respected Ymir’s decision in not digging in his underwear drawer. 

“Commando it is,” Eren said, Levi barking a loud laugh from beside him, stepping into a clean pair of briefs and his own track pants. 

It felt so surreal after that. Domestic. Wonderful and warm. A future he was ready to begin, and to experience every night. It made him feel so full after years of feeling like something was missing in his life. 

They walked through the hallway, down the stairs and into the open plan kitchen, dining and living room. There was a large Christmas tree in the corner by the living room, the fairy lights glowing a pattern of red, white and green, and adding a nice effect to the area. It was a little chillier, so Levi turned up the heat once they got in the large space. 

Barely any words were shared as Levi filled the kettle automatically and reached up in the tall cupboard. Eren’s brows raised past his wet bangs, shocked at the entire cupboard being stocked with nothing but tea boxes; from bags to loose leaves. 

“Camomile?” Levi asked. 

“Please,” Eren replied, taking a seat at one of the bar stools. 

He was going to save the question for later. But curiosity constantly clawed at him, so Eren broke the soothing silence as the kettle boiled and Levi poured the loose leaves into the teapot strainer. 

“Did you know? Did Mikasa or Ymir tell you about this?” Eren asked, pinching his long sleeve shirt to show what he meant.

“No,” Levi answered, taking out a pair of mugs. “Mikasa stopped by earlier this week with them and told me to keep them in the guest bedroom.”

“You didn’t ask her for further details?”

Levi shrugged. “She does weird shit sometimes. I presumed it was Jean’s.”

“Does he normally have spare clothes here?” 

Levi snorted, “What’s with all the questions?” he asked underneath his breath, picking up the kettle and pouring the boiling liquid into the waiting pot. “He’s an art tutor, sometimes his clothes are stained as shit and she brings them to me to clean. Or yeah, they’ll spend the night after dinner, if it’s late.” 

“Oh,” Eren replied. “I see, no wonder.” 

“It made sense when you asked before our shower. Jean wouldn’t be the kind to wear a shirt like that.” 

“And I didn’t think you’d be the kind to wear track pants either,” Eren said, nodding in the direction of his lower half. “You look good.” 

_‘Good enough to devour all over again,’_ Eren thought absentmindedly. The track pants left nothing to the imagination, nor did the tightly pulled long sleeve shirt over his torso. Levi’s nipples poked through them, clearly still raw from Eren’s treatment. The same could be said about his jaw and neck though. He was a little worried about going home tomorrow covered in purple spots, but he was going to leave those worries for later. For now, he wanted to drown in the afterglow and relish in the feeling of finally being able to be open around Levi. 

The creases of Levi’s lips twitched, the man pouring the tea into awaiting mugs before sliding one over the granite top for Eren.

They headed to the living room, Levi turning on the TV mounted to the wall as Eren sat on a plush, black coloured couch. The fabric was cool to the touch, but soft as ever. Levi joined him, sitting right next to each other with their thighs flushed. Without a moment to spare, Nannah joined them, hopping up and onto Levi’s lap. 

“I see why she’s so attached,” Eren chuckled behind the steamy mug, knowing full well not to test the drink yet, but did so anyway and burning the tip of his tongue. 

Levi shook his head, muttering “dumbass,” under his breath. Eren snorted, resting the cup on his lap. “Give it a month, she’ll be all over you once she gets acquainted with _your_ thick thighs.” 

“That’d be nice.” Eren smiled. “I’ve always wanted to get to know her more after seeing your Facebook.” And as an afterthought, he quickly added, “May I come over again next weekend then? Help her along by coming over so soon again” 

Levi looked at him, fingertips running over Nannah’s furry back, the fur tensing and relaxing as he did so. “You don’t have to ask, you’re welcome anytime. I’m off until the second week of January.” 

“Hmm,” Eren hummed, the tiniest bit of jealousy touching his heart. He hadn’t had a break in so long. “Lucky you.”

“Still working?” 

“No breaks for a social worker. It’s high season.” 

“Weekends it is.” Levi nodded, taking a sip of his tea. “Unless-” he said after swallowing. “Are you free for New Years?” 

“I am.”

“Good. You’re invited here and you’re shit out of luck if you think you can get out of it,” Levi said, his face serious, homing in that Eren has no choice in the matter. “You owe me _years_ worth of kisses.”

Eren laughed quietly, feeling so light knowing that Levi wanted him to be over so soon again. To spend another important moment together. To have another go at such intimacy. It had him excited and something to look forward to.

“Great!” Eren beamed. “Ymir would be happy to get rid of me.” 

Levi snorted. “I bet she would.” and after a moment of thinking, he quietly added, “I’ll need to thank her.”

Oh, Eren knew. He needed to thank her too. Mikasa as well. If it weren’t for them, Eren would’ve been spending Christmas night as he always did - feeling alone while surrounded by all his loved ones. His mind would miles away, his heart longing for Levi. Levi would’ve been alone right now too, bored out of his mind with Nannah on his lap. That didn’t seem like a nice way to spend one's birthday. 

Still, Eren humoured Levi, a slight smirk on his face. “Yeah? How come?” 

“For finally kicking your ass into gear.”

“Hey now,” Eren protested, cheeks warming at the accusation. “I was just unsure, even if ready.” 

“Over _what?_ ”

“You’re a lot harder to read than you think, Levi,” Eren explained, a hand coming to pat at his shoulder. “I _really_ had no idea how you felt about me.” 

“We had tea dates for over a year,” Levi replied. “How the hell did you not think I was interested?”

Eren shrugged, a bashful smile on his face as he sipped his tea, unsure of how to answer that. His brain kept making excuses that he full-heartedly believed. What else was there to say? He was an idiot with no faith? 

Levi sighed, falling sideways until their shoulders met. “It doesn’t matter now. Just know, I’ve been waiting for you to say the words.”

And Eren would be forever grateful for that. For the patience Levi had given him, for the constant guidance and for being a friend and shoulder to cry on while Ymir was growing up. He didn’t think he’d pull through that awful stage in Ymir’s life without Levi’s support and watchful eye on his daughter. From always being there for the both of them, to introducing Kenny that became the start of Ymir’s confidence to sweet Mikasa, a role model and loving young woman he was proud to have gotten to know. His chest clenched at the thought, knowing he was going to be someone special on her big day, alongside Levi. He’d make Mikasa and Ymir proud and keep Levi happy with all he’s got. 

For the man had given him almost a decade of wonderful memories and support.

“Thank you,” Eren whispered, his free arm circling behind Levi’s neck and past his shoulders, gripping him in a sideways hug. “Thank you for waiting for me,” he sighed, placing a tender kiss on Levi’s smooth forehead. 

Levi hummed, his hand patting Nannah leaving to cup Eren’s hand on his shoulder, head leaning down further to rest on Eren. “Always.” 

And they sat there in silence, basking in the tender moment, snapshotting every feeling of warmth and love, burning it into their minds so this moment could be remembered and treasured. The lights of the Christmas tree bouncing off their skin, the TV playing adverts on mute, a clock beneath it reading 11:43. Nannah laying on Levi’s lap, her purr loud and soothing, thin yellow eyes watching the men in annoyance. Two warm mugs of camomile in hands, another pair with fingers threaded and locked. Soft lips against skin.

“So, what’s on the movie agenda?” Eren asked quietly, breaking their soothing quietness. 

Levi let Eren’s hand go, stretching his arm out to pick up the remote from the arm rest and flicking the channel to Netflix. Pursing his lips for a few minutes as he typed out horror in the search bar, much to Eren’s dismay. 

“Your choice - Paranormal Activity or Blair Witch?”

Eren laughed throatily, head falling back against the back cushions. So typically Levi. What on earth was he even expecting when asked in the first place? Chuckling behind a bright smile, Eren replied. “Screw it, it wasn’t like I was going to sleep with you in bed anyway. You’ll fend off the demons for me, right?”

Levi grunted, sniggering as his shoulders shook a touch. Eren pouted mockingly at the action.

Sighing heavily, Eren answered begrudgingly. “Your pick then.” 

“Paranormal?” 

“Paranormal,” Eren agreed, shimming down on the couch to get comfortable with Levi by his side and in his arms. 

Despite having an awful hour and half ahead of him, and knowing full well of the nightmares to come, he didn’t think it’d be so bad. 

After all, Levi was always going to be there - As he had been all this time. 

To right the wrongs.

To soothe and settle all the hardships yet to come. 

To support Eren and Ymir. 

To continue to walk alongside him, patient and kind, empathetic and - he swallowed as Levi placed the mug on the table in front of them, leaning back once more and free hand sinking between his thighs for warmth - and forever setting him on edge in certain ways. 

Enough to distract him, enough to set his heart on fire once more - in love and in heat. Enough to urge him to place another kiss to Levi’s scratchy jaw, words of devotion on his lips. But Eren would save those for another moment, for this was already too perfect. 

And maybe, if the movie didn’t turn out so bad, he’d ask for another one sometime. Accompanied by Ymir and Mikasa because he’d always love them to be with them too. As one big, happy family they were surely going to become. He fairly knew the two of them would enjoy it too; with their dads finally together in happiness. 

**Author's Note:**

> I’m sorry for the cheesy and very awkward ending. FINN!!! I didn’t want to end it!!! I wanted to continue on and on!!! Wanted to keep going and explore NYE and Ymir and Mikasa hearing about Eren’s confession! Ymir and Carla seeing his hickies and teasing him relentlessly! But alas, time ran out T.T
> 
> Thank you to anyone who gives this a read! It was an absolute pleasure to write! It's definitely a theme I'd love to come back someday soon!


End file.
